The Access to Mental Health Care in Children: Portuguese Speaking Families Living in a Multicultural Context in Europe

Résumé 0

"Migrant and ethnic minorities youth find themselves in a situation of greater difficulty in terms of access to mental health care. The main objective of this study was therefore to explore possible barriers to access to professional assistance in mental health from the perspective of immigrant families. The methodology included both a qualitative study in which semi-structured interviews (N = 170 people from 62 families) and focus groups with health and education professionals (N = 31) were conducted as well as a quantitative survey (N = 887 youths, 417 mothers and 310 fathers). This paper presents a case study based on the qualitative phase and selected results of the quantitative phase of the project. The results indicate the involvement of the patient's perspective as one of the most valuable sources of information for improving access to mental health care. Overall, the results suggest several trends for intervention projects in order to improve access to mental health care."