DOC 714S-Week 8 Assignment

Program of Study

DHA: Doctor of Healthcare Administration

Problem Statement

The problem is that factors contributing to poor access to mental healthcare and mental healthcare resources among ethnic minority groups, resulting in decreased consumption of mental healthcare resources and increased morbidity, mortality, and functional decline, have not been explored and thereby not adequately addressed (Snowden et al., 2022).

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this proposed qualitative study, using the case study design, is to explore the factors contributing to poor access to mental healthcare among ethnic

minority groups and highlight potential address measures as perceived by the population. The study will draw 15 participants from a community in Akron, OH. The community predominantly consists of ethnic minority groups, with African Americans constituting the majority. The research participants will be subjected to a semi-structured interview that will investigate their perception of the potential barriers to mental healthcare and their perceptions of the available mental healthcare resources in the community.​

Research Methodology and Design

The research methodology that will be applied in the proposed study is qualitative methods. Qualitative methods involve the collection and analysis of non-numerical data to describe the “why” behind a phenomenon or program (Bazen et al., 2021). This research methodology seeks to understand human experiences through diverse approaches. Qualitative methods utilize several data collection methods to analyze a phenomenon. These include observations, surveys, interviews, and secondary research, among others (Bazen et al., 2021).

Qualitative research methodology is best suited for the proposed research. This methodology will allow the researcher to have a deeper understanding of diverse aspects of mental health illnesses. By interrogating aspects of mental health across ethnic minority groups, such as communities’ perceptions and the underlying barriers to mental health illnesses and mental health utilization, the researcher can extrapolate the specific factors that contribute to poor access to mental healthcare. Likewise, the methodology will allow the researcher to analyze the program under scrutiny in the participants’ natural settings. This allows an in-depth understanding of personal and environmental factors that interplay in poor access to mental healthcare.

The research design that will be utilized in the proposed study is the case study design. Case study designs are qualitative research uniquely positioned to facilitate an understanding of an identified program, phenomenon, or subject. In this design, a researcher explores a phenomenon comprehensively in its natural setting (Sibbald et al., 2021). Case study designs can either be exploratory, explanatory, or descriptive. In descriptive case studies, the researcher gathers insights into a phenomenon in its natural setting. The purpose of this approach is to enhance understanding of the topic under scrutiny. In exploratory case study, the researcher analyzes a program to elucidate research questions that can be used to inform subsequent studies. Explanatory case studies explore the factors that cause or interplay in the development of a phenomenon (Priya, 2020). Regardless of the approach, case studies allow the researcher to have a deeper understanding of a phenomenon and can be applied whenever a researcher seeks to improve their knowledge base on a topic.

The case study design is the most appropriate design for the proposed study. This design will allow the researcher to better understand a program or a phenomenon. It is most applicable in situations where it is impossible or difficult to conduct experiments. It can also be used where the why and the how of a phenomenon are being sought by the researcher. In addition, this methodology is appropriate for the proposed research as it facilitates the interrogation of the underlying factors in poor access to mental healthcare among ethnic minority groups. Through this design, the researcher can comprehensively explore and discern specific factors influencing mental healthcare seeking and access among ethnic minority groups. Likewise, the method will facilitate the interrogation of inter- and intra-individual factors that interplay in mental healthcare seeking for ethnic minority groups, as well as those that predispose them to suffering attributed to mental health illnesses. This informed its use in the proposed research.

Research Question

The research questions that will be utilized in the proposed research is “What are the factors contributing to poor access to mental healthcare among ethnic minority groups?

Theories

There is a consensus on the significance of mental healthcare in individual and community wellness. Several research studies highlight the importance of mental healthcare and mental healthcare resource utilization and how it shapes health and wellness across diverse populations. The thematic areas of perceived barriers to mental healthcare across ethnic minority groups, disparities in mental healthcare across ethnic minority groups, and quality improvement in mental healthcare apply to the proposed research.

The proposed research study will significantly borrow from the literature on the perceived barriers to mental healthcare and resource utilization. It will interrogate the perception of the community under scrutiny on mental health illnesses and the perceived barriers to mental healthcare. This will establish a link between the highlighted barriers to mental healthcare access and poor mental health and mental healthcare in the population under scrutiny (Muhorakeye & Biracyaza, 2021). The proposed research will elucidate some of the underexplored factors contributing to poor access to mental healthcare and resource utilization, as well as prove the existence of the identified barriers to mental healthcare identified from the literature. The highlighted theme will, in this respect, inform the working hypotheses and help evaluate the research study.

Disparity in mental healthcare across ethnic minority groups is another theme that is applicable to the proposed research. This thematic area signifies the perpetuity of poor access to mental healthcare and mental healthcare resources across ethnic minority groups (Samartzis & Talias, 2019). The proposed research will inform the need for escalating efforts toward eliminating mental health disparities in otherwise underserved communities by affirming the continued existence of mental health disparity.

Quality improvement in mental healthcare is another theme applicable in the proposed research  Previous studies that highlighted barriers to mental healthcare continue to enable quality improvement in healthcare by informing potential improvement areas in mental healthcare (Frandsen et al., 2021). The proposed research informs quality improvement in mental healthcare by highlighting factors contributing to poor access to mental healthcare, that are otherwise underexplored.

Significance of the Study

The SPL model provides a pathway toward individual effectiveness in clinical research and scholarly activities. It employs a leadership alchemy, combining personal qualities, skills, and knowledge to build personal and professional networks and attain the widest possible reach by utilizing research (Smith & Wilkins, 2018). A reflection of the proposed research study through the lens of the SPL model reveals that the study is likely to be significant for the scholarly community as it builds on the knowledge base on mental healthcare, including aspects of mental healthcare resource utilization and access to mental healthcare. Findings from the study are likely to cement the scholarly beliefs on the causal factors for poor access to mental healthcare. The findings may also give insights into under-explored areas in mental healthcare access. Likewise, conclusions from the research may also widen scholars’ knowledge and perspectives on aspects of mental healthcare, thereby increasing the meaningful impact of their knowledge base in informing interventions for apparent challenges in mental healthcare.

The study is also likely to be significant for practitioners in mental healthcare. Findings from the study are likely to either challenge the normative approaches to addressing challenges in mental healthcare or affirm the position of current approaches utilized in managing these illnesses. Conclusions from the research may also give them insights into underexplored causal factors for poor access to mental healthcare. In their pursuit of better mental healthcare, they can employ a participatory approach to the research study to help inform potential improvement areas.

The study is also likely to be significant for nursing leaders and other healthcare leaders. The research forges a ground of commonality on healthcare improvement by postulating patient and population-specific areas that can be tapped into to elevate mental healthcare. Healthcare leaders, as change agents, utilize a dynamic approach to enhancing healthcare quality and efficiency of care delivery (Drew & Pandit, 2020). The research, by informing the potential areas of improvement, complements their role in quality improvement.

Topic Literature

There is a consensus finding on the impact of poor access to mental healthcare on wellness. A literature search of articles related to mental healthcare and mental health resource utilization relevant to the proposed study yielded several articles. The articles that were selected met the criteria for currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose.

• Snowden et al.  (2022) explore the underlying racial and ethnic disparities among persons with unmanaged psychiatric illnesses. Findings from the article show that ethnic minorities with mental health illnesses suffer pervasive adversity compared to whites. This article maintains relevance as it points to the existing mental health-related problems among ethnic minority groups and informs the target population for the research.
• Ilozumba et al. (2022) investigate the experiences of mental health services among ethnic minority groups. Findings from the article revealed that ethnic minority groups are still impacted by traditional problems of poor availability of mental healthcare services. This article maintains relevance to the topic of study as it gives insight into the perceived barriers to mental healthcare among ethnic minority groups.
• Thomeer et al. (2022) investigate health and mental healthcare disparities. The article revealed that ethnic minority groups are unlikely to receive high-quality mental health care compared to their White counterparts. This affirms poor access to mental healthcare as a barrier to mental healthcare among these communities.
• Muhorakeye and Biracyaza (2021) explore the barriers to accessing and utilizing mental healthcare and mental healthcare resources. The article’s findings revealed stigmatization, poor awareness, financial strains, and sociocultural and religious awareness as some of the barriers to mental health service utilization among ethnic minorities. The article is relevant to the study as it highlights other scholars’ findings on the specific barriers to mental healthcare. It gives the researcher an insight into what to expect during the study.
• Cortina & Hardin (2023) investigate how social groupings and geography interplay in poor access to mental healthcare. Low socio-income and geographical remoteness were identified as barriers to mental healthcare access. The article is relevant to the topic under study as it highlights some of the perceived barriers to mental healthcare.
• Marbin et al. (2022) draw a nexus between poverty and mental health services utilization. The economic baggage associated with managing mental health illnesses makes it unattractive to some. Addressing the high cost of mental healthcare can thus help in enhancing access to mental healthcare. The article gives insight into areas to focus on in the pursuit of strengthening mental healthcare and is thus relevant to the research topic.

References

Bazen, A., Barg, F. K., & Takeshita, J. (2021). Research techniques made simple: An introduction to qualitative research. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 141(2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jid.2020.11.029

Cortina, J., & Hardin, S. (2023). The geography of mental health, urbanicity, and affluence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(8), 5440. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20085440

Drew, J. R., & Pandit, M. (2020). Why healthcare leadership should embrace quality improvement. BMJ, m872. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m872

Ilozumba, O., Koster, T. S., Syurina, E. V., & Ebuenyi, I. (2022). Ethnic minority experiences of mental health services in the Netherlands: An exploratory study. BMC Research Notes, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-022-06159-022

Frandsen, T. F., Lindhardt, C. L., & Eriksen, M. B. (2021). Performance of conceptual framework elements for the retrieval of qualitative health literature: A case study. Journal of the Medical Library Association, 109(3). https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2021.1150

Marbin, D., Gutwinski, S., Schreiter, S., & Heinz, A. (2022). Perspectives in poverty and mental health. Frontiers in Public Health, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.975482

Muhorakeye, O., & Biracyaza, E. (2021). Exploring barriers to mental health services utilization at Kabutare District Hospital of Rwanda: Perspectives from patients. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.638377

Samartzis, L., & Talias, M. A. (2019). Assessing and Improving the Quality in Mental Health Services. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(1), 249. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010249

Sibbald, S. L., Paciocco, S., Fournie, M., Van Asseldonk, R., & Scurr, T. (2021). Continuing to enhance the quality of case study methodology in health services research. Healthcare Management Forum, 34(5), 291–296. https://doi.org/10.1177/08404704211028857

Smith, L. S., & Wilkins, N. (2018). Mind the gap: Approaches to addressing the research-to-practice, practice-to-research chasm. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 24. https://doi.org/10.1097/phh.0000000000000667

Snowden, L. R., Cordell, K., & Bui, J. (2022). Racial and ethnic disparities in health status and community functioning among persons with untreated mental illness. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 10(5), 2175–2184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-022- 01397-1

Thomeer, M. B., Moody, M. D., & Yahirun, J. (2022). Racial and ethnic disparities in mental health and mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 10(2), 961–976. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-022-01284-9

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DOC 714S-Week 8 Assignment

Incorporate feedback and recommendations received from course colleagues about the framework and significance of the study in this week’s discussions, and:

Input your updated framework in the “Topic Theories” section of the Prospectus Template.

Input your updated significance of the study discussion in the “Significance of the Study” section of the Prospectus Template.

Provide a list of 5 to 10 references in APA format that are relevant to the proposed study in the “Topic Literature” section of the Prospectus Template. Include 1–2 sentences with each reference to describe the relevance of the literature to the proposed study.

Describe the proposed process for collecting data from the research sample and from any archival sources in the “Research Data Collection Strategy” section of the Prospectus Template.

Revise all sections of your Prospectus Template submitted in the Wk 7 – Prospectus: Research Methodology (Proposed Method and Design) and Research Questions assignment based on faculty feedback and the work you completed throughout this course.

Review the directions above to ensure you meet the objectives of the assignment.

Revise the prospectus, as needed, based on feedback from previous weeks.

Update your reference page to include any additional references.

Cite any new sources included in your revisions.

DOC 714S-Week 8 Assignment

Format citations and references according to APA 7th-edition guidelines. Adhere to APA conventions by avoiding the use of first-person point of view.

Submit your completed prospectus in Blackboard® and to Tk20 for review and assessment.