Psychological Issues in Medically Underserved Patients

The US population has a subset of those that are underserved who are in need of primary care and also suffer from mental health disorders. In this article, categories of underserved populations are described. Each section defines the population being presented, identifies the mental health problems each is likely to encounter, explores the barriers that prevent access to care, and identifies potential methods to minimize such barriers. The ways in which psychiatric issues vary in underserved settings compared with the general population are differentiated. Recommendations are offered for primary care physicians to support improved recognition and management of psychosocial stressors and psychiatric illness among the underserved.