The privileged likely to suffer more from mental health

[cooldude64]

Because im bored and cannot sleep...

Looking at the statistic below I draw the conclusion that privileged members of society tend to suffer from mental illness more so than the not so privileged. Do you think this is anecdotal evidence or there are other underlying factors playing a role?

Figure 1 illustrates that Asians have the lowest mental illness prevalence among all U.S adults surveyed. Following closely by Hispanic's (15.2%), and then Black's (16.2%). Largest ethnic demographic is white's (20.4%).

Source: Statistic from National Institute of Mental Health in U.S

Further looking at Figure 4; hispanic and black ethnic backgrounds have 14.5% less mental health services recorded for serious mental illness than white's in 2017.

Source: Statistic from National Institute of Mental Health in U.S

Below you can see that median household income in the U.S in 2018 by ethnic group.

Median household income in the United States in 2018, by ethnic group

Correlating median household wealth and mental illness by ethnicity, the outlier remains to be only Asians with high median household income and low recorded mental health illness. This is likely due to most Asians immigrating from a culturally strict background or more so less privileged backgrounds. As of 2014, the top five origin countries of Asian immigrants were India, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Korea (MPI 2016). Four of which were developing countries. The socio-economic trend shows a positive correlation for white, hispanics and blacks. Where the wealthier or another words more privileged you are the more likely you were to suffer from mental health.

Obviously I didn't take into account to the median household wealth, where immigration policies in which migrant higher socio-economic background could be taken into consideration, where wealthy Asians migrants could be coming into U.S. However even then the data for hispanics, blacks and white's remain the same. Now maybe the fact that the hispanics and blacks are so under privileged that they cannot afford professional help and therefore not cited in the statistic, skewing the results (not sure of the social health system in U.S).

If the the hypothesis is right, maybe we should be learning something from our Asian, hispanic and black counterparts.

Reference:

Migration Policy Institute (MPI) 2016 - https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/asian-immigrants-united-states

National Institute of Mental Health - https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness.shtml

Statistica - https://www.statista.com/statistics/233324/median-household-income-in-the-united-states-by-race-or-ethnic-group/

[Barbaric]

I think that struggle builds strength and comfort breeds weakness.

[IAMNathanael]

I think it goes to show that everyone has their own problems. So maybe white people aren't as "privileged" as some people say they are. Also, it's a shame that sometimes people play the victim card while there are genuine people out there who are actually suffering.

[cooldude64]

I agree. The people who play the victim card and not in need of help are the reason why a lot of the social health systems are ruined in the western world. It deprives resources to others to desperately need it. I've obviously been an advocate for global communist for this reason. You reap exactly what you sow. And not the bs capitalistic communist china does either.

[Anonymous]

when you have to actually work for a living you don't have much time alone with your thoughts and if you're "not privileged" (which I understand as poor) you can't really afford a psychologist anyway