A Network Analysis of Health Care Access and Behavioral/Mental Health in Hispanic Children and Adolescents

Hispanic youth have one of the highest rates of unmet physical and mental health needs. This study aims to examine how child and adolescent healthcare access creates pathways to behavioral/mental health among a national sample of 1711 U.S. Hispanic youth. Using psychometric network analysis, unique...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Isis Garcia-Rodriguez, Samuel J. West, Camila Tirado, Cindy Hernandez Castro, Lisa Fuentes, Paul B. Perrin, Oswaldo A. Moreno
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Behavioral Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/6/826
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849467588188307456
author Isis Garcia-Rodriguez
Samuel J. West
Camila Tirado
Cindy Hernandez Castro
Lisa Fuentes
Paul B. Perrin
Oswaldo A. Moreno
author_facet Isis Garcia-Rodriguez
Samuel J. West
Camila Tirado
Cindy Hernandez Castro
Lisa Fuentes
Paul B. Perrin
Oswaldo A. Moreno
author_sort Isis Garcia-Rodriguez
collection DOAJ
description Hispanic youth have one of the highest rates of unmet physical and mental health needs. This study aims to examine how child and adolescent healthcare access creates pathways to behavioral/mental health among a national sample of 1711 U.S. Hispanic youth. Using psychometric network analysis, unique pathways in which child healthcare access (i.e., transportation and health service-related factors) and behavioral/mental health were identified. Findings indicate relationships among depression, anxiety, school settings, and friendships. These associations offer a starting point for interventionists and policymakers to ensure that interventions are not targeted individually but from an ecological systems framework. This study may raise awareness of Hispanic youth’s barriers and better equip scientists to plan and implement approaches to address identified barriers.
format Article
id doaj-art-41c4dfb6ce8d44a8ad37afd263883f20
institution Kabale University
issn 2076-328X
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Behavioral Sciences
spelling doaj-art-41c4dfb6ce8d44a8ad37afd263883f202025-08-20T03:26:10ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2025-06-0115682610.3390/bs15060826A Network Analysis of Health Care Access and Behavioral/Mental Health in Hispanic Children and AdolescentsIsis Garcia-Rodriguez0Samuel J. West1Camila Tirado2Cindy Hernandez Castro3Lisa Fuentes4Paul B. Perrin5Oswaldo A. Moreno6Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USADepartment of Psychology, Virginia State University, Richmond, VA 23806, USADepartment of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USADepartment of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USADepartment of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USADepartment of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USADepartment of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USAHispanic youth have one of the highest rates of unmet physical and mental health needs. This study aims to examine how child and adolescent healthcare access creates pathways to behavioral/mental health among a national sample of 1711 U.S. Hispanic youth. Using psychometric network analysis, unique pathways in which child healthcare access (i.e., transportation and health service-related factors) and behavioral/mental health were identified. Findings indicate relationships among depression, anxiety, school settings, and friendships. These associations offer a starting point for interventionists and policymakers to ensure that interventions are not targeted individually but from an ecological systems framework. This study may raise awareness of Hispanic youth’s barriers and better equip scientists to plan and implement approaches to address identified barriers.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/6/826barriersHispanic youthNHISmental healthpsychometric network analysis
spellingShingle Isis Garcia-Rodriguez
Samuel J. West
Camila Tirado
Cindy Hernandez Castro
Lisa Fuentes
Paul B. Perrin
Oswaldo A. Moreno
A Network Analysis of Health Care Access and Behavioral/Mental Health in Hispanic Children and Adolescents
Behavioral Sciences
barriers
Hispanic youth
NHIS
mental health
psychometric network analysis
title A Network Analysis of Health Care Access and Behavioral/Mental Health in Hispanic Children and Adolescents
title_full A Network Analysis of Health Care Access and Behavioral/Mental Health in Hispanic Children and Adolescents
title_fullStr A Network Analysis of Health Care Access and Behavioral/Mental Health in Hispanic Children and Adolescents
title_full_unstemmed A Network Analysis of Health Care Access and Behavioral/Mental Health in Hispanic Children and Adolescents
title_short A Network Analysis of Health Care Access and Behavioral/Mental Health in Hispanic Children and Adolescents
title_sort network analysis of health care access and behavioral mental health in hispanic children and adolescents
topic barriers
Hispanic youth
NHIS
mental health
psychometric network analysis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/6/826
work_keys_str_mv AT isisgarciarodriguez anetworkanalysisofhealthcareaccessandbehavioralmentalhealthinhispanicchildrenandadolescents
AT samueljwest anetworkanalysisofhealthcareaccessandbehavioralmentalhealthinhispanicchildrenandadolescents
AT camilatirado anetworkanalysisofhealthcareaccessandbehavioralmentalhealthinhispanicchildrenandadolescents
AT cindyhernandezcastro anetworkanalysisofhealthcareaccessandbehavioralmentalhealthinhispanicchildrenandadolescents
AT lisafuentes anetworkanalysisofhealthcareaccessandbehavioralmentalhealthinhispanicchildrenandadolescents
AT paulbperrin anetworkanalysisofhealthcareaccessandbehavioralmentalhealthinhispanicchildrenandadolescents
AT oswaldoamoreno anetworkanalysisofhealthcareaccessandbehavioralmentalhealthinhispanicchildrenandadolescents
AT isisgarciarodriguez networkanalysisofhealthcareaccessandbehavioralmentalhealthinhispanicchildrenandadolescents
AT samueljwest networkanalysisofhealthcareaccessandbehavioralmentalhealthinhispanicchildrenandadolescents
AT camilatirado networkanalysisofhealthcareaccessandbehavioralmentalhealthinhispanicchildrenandadolescents
AT cindyhernandezcastro networkanalysisofhealthcareaccessandbehavioralmentalhealthinhispanicchildrenandadolescents
AT lisafuentes networkanalysisofhealthcareaccessandbehavioralmentalhealthinhispanicchildrenandadolescents
AT paulbperrin networkanalysisofhealthcareaccessandbehavioralmentalhealthinhispanicchildrenandadolescents
AT oswaldoamoreno networkanalysisofhealthcareaccessandbehavioralmentalhealthinhispanicchildrenandadolescents