654-P: Characterizing Mental Health Status and Service Utilization in Chinese Americans with Type 2 Diabetes

Objectives: Mental health issues are common in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Yet, the mental health burden of Chinese immigrants with T2D remains unknown. This study examined mental health status, mental health-seeking behaviors, and service utilization among Chinese immigrants with T2D.

Methods: We conducted a telephone-based cross-sectional survey among 66 Chinese immigrants with T2D recruited from the diabetes registry in NYC. Participants’ mental health status including anxiety, depressive symptoms, general stress, and diabetes-specific distress were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety subscale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Perceived Stress Scale, and Diabetes Distress Scale, respectively. Information related to mental health-seeking behaviors and service utilization was also collected. Descriptive statistics were used.

Results: Most participants (mean age 56.1±10.5 years) were female (57.6%), currently married (80.3%), foreign born (100%), high school graduate or less (77.3%), with annual household income < $25,000 (50.8%), and limited English proficiency (95.5%). About 9%, 25.7%, and 23.7% reported moderate or higher depressive symptoms, general stress, and diabetes-specific distress, respectively. Only 11.5% with elevated symptoms have ever seen a mental health professional and 3.8% were currently seeking mental health services. Not seeking mental health services was attributed to no need (92.4%), not knowing where to find Chinese-speaking providers (4.5%), cost (1.5%), and time (1.5%).

Conclusions: Mental health issues, especially general stress and diabetes-specific stress were high among Chinese immigrants with T2D. However, very few of them have ever sought or are currently seeking mental health services. Future research needs to gain a better understanding of the barriers and design culturally tailored programs to serve the needs of this minority group.