Assessing Utilization of Mental Health Resources at a Historically Black College and University

Abstract

Objective: College students of color represent a large portion of unmet mental health needs. Limited studies have been performed in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) setting on the utilization of mental health resources in African American (AA) college students. The primary purpose of this report is to document the utilization of both on- and off-campus mental health resources by AA students at an HBCU. Methods: A survey was administered to students enrolled at Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA) who self-identified as AA in the Fall 2018 semester. Results: 30.2% and 35.2% of participants reported utilization of on- or off-resources, respectively. Conclusion: This study illustrates the lack of utilization of resources by AA students attending an HBCU. Future efforts should be focused on promoting mental health utilization at HBCUs across the nation.