The following are major findings detailing the mental health of Latinas/os from several health reports of Milwaukee county and the state of Wisconsin.  We acknowledge this is not an exhaustive list; however, it highlights the health disparities within the Latina/o community and the limited information available pertaining to mental health.   

- In 2014, 33.9% of children (under age 18) living in poverty in metropolitan Milwaukee were Latina/o, compared to 7.3% White children.¹

- 7% of Hispanics had “unmet mental health care needs”, compared to 3% of White non-Hispanics.²

- About 12% reported a mental health condition (anxiety disorder, OCD, panic disorder, PTSD, or depression) compared to 14% of Whites.²

- 14% of the participants reported “always/nearly feeling sad, blue or depressed” in the past year compared to 5% of Whites.²

- 5% of Hispanic respondents considered suicide in the past year compared to 3% of Whites.²

- 8% of Hispanics seldom/never “found meaning and purpose in daily life” compared to 6% of Whites.²

- 18% of Latinas/os reported ‘frequent mental stress”, compared to 11% for White populations.³

- 28% of Latina/o high school students reported experiencing depression, in comparison to 20% of White students.³

- 21% of Latinas/os reported having 4 or more Aversive Childhood Experiences in comparison to 15% of White respondents.³

 

In summary, there was minimal information on Latina/o mental health in Milwaukee. The most significant disparities that emerged were depression symptoms, stress, and access to care for mental health needs.  However, definitions and assessment of mental health variables varied across reports and were difficult to interpret or compare across studies. Missing from the available reports was information on alcohol and substance use, patterns of suicide, as well as resilience factors. Additionally, information regarding immigration, documentation, acculturation, and related cultural factors were missing from data reports.