Gender Identity, Race, and Ethnicity-based Discrimination in Access to Mental Health Care: Evidence from an Audit Correspondence Field Experiment

Luca Fumarco, Benjamin Harrell, Patrick Button (), David Schwegman and E Dils

No 28164, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: Racial, ethnic, and gender minorities face mental health disparities. While mental health care can help, minoritized groups could face discriminatory barriers in accessing it. Discrimination may be particularly pronounced in mental health care because providers have more discretion over accepting patients. Research documents discrimination broadly, including in access to health care, but there is limited empirical research on discrimination in access to mental health care. We provide the first experimental evidence, from a correspondence audit field experiment (“simulated patients” study), of the extent to which transgender and non-binary people, African Americans, and Hispanics face discrimination in access to mental health care appointments. We find significant discrimination against transgender or non-binary African Americans and Hispanics. We do not find evidence of discrimination against White transgender and non-binary prospective patients. We are mostly inconclusive as to if cisgender African Americans or Hispanics face discrimination, except we find evidence of discrimination against cisgender African American women.

JEL-codes: C93 I11 I14 I18 J15 J16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp and nep-hea
Note: EH
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

Published as Luca Fumarco & Benjamin J. Harrell & Patrick Button & David J. Schwegman & E Dils, 2024. "Gender Identity-, Race-, and Ethnicity-Based Discrimination in Access to Mental Health Care," American Journal of Health Economics, vol 10(2), pages 182-214.

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Related works:
Working Paper: Gender Identity, Race, and Ethnicity-based Discrimination in Access to Mental Health Care: Evidence from an Audit Correspondence Field Experiment (2025)
Working Paper: Gender Identity, Race, and Ethnicity-Based Discrimination in Access to Mental Health Care: Evidence from an Audit Correspondence Field Experiment (2023)
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