Ways of Improving Access to Mental Health Support among East Asian American Dementia Caregivers: a Qualitative Descriptive Study.

INTRODUCTION:Asian American dementia caregivers often express negative emotions compared to other ethnic groups, but frequently avoid sharing personal and mental health concerns. Still, research targeting their subgroups and strategies supporting their mental health service use remains limited. OBJECTIVES:To explore strategies for improving access to mental health services among East Asian American dementia caregivers. METHODS:Data were derived from a constructivist grounded study on help-seeking behaviors in the population. Twenty participants attended individual interviews, which were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to identify themes and categories. RESULTS:Six themes emerged across the domains of community effort - addressing cultural differences, advertising existing resources, and improving access to mental health support - and individual effort - disclosing caregiving situations, looking for resources, and prioritizing oneself. The identified themes and categories reflected Eastern cultural norms rooted in the participants' ethnic backgrounds. CONCLUSION:The findings underscore the collaborative role of both community and individual efforts in improving access to mental health support for East Asian American caregivers, highlighting the need for targeted, culturally responsive approaches to better address their unique needs.