Barriers to Mental Health Service Use Among People With Disabilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose/Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing health inequities for peoplewith disabilities (PWD), including disparities in mental health needs and service use. The present study investigated prospective predisposing, enabling, and illness-related correlates of mental health service need and use among PWD during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research Method/Design: Data were collected online at two time points: October–December 2020 and October–December 2021. U.S. adults with disabilities completed self-report measures on demographic and disability characteristics, pandemic-related stressors (e.g., worries about COVID-19), depression, anxiety, barriers to service use, and perceivedmental health needs and service use. Two logistic regressions were used to examine the effect of predisposing, enabling, psychosocial barriers, and illness-related factors on perceivedmental health service need and service use. Results: Perceptions of mental health service needs were significantly predicted by gender (female-identified, transgender and gender diverse [TGD]), younger age, increased depressive symptoms, and presence of a prepandemic mental health condition. Among those who reported a perceived need,mental health service usewas predicted by gender (female-identified and TGD), greater income, lower frequency of anticipated provider disability bias, and presence of a prepandemicmental health condition. Conclusions/Implications: This study provides vital descriptive data on the pattern ofmental health service utilization among PWD during the COVID-19 pandemic, a uniquely disruptive, challenging time. Findings further underscore the necessity of providing disability competency training and bias reduction interventions to mental health professionals, as anticipated provider disability bias was a key factor in nonservice use of PWD.