Moyce, SallyThompson, SophiaMetcalf, MadelineVelazquez, MariaAghbashian, ElizabethSisson, NathanielClaudio, David2022-09-132022-09-132022-01Moyce, S., Thompson, S., Metcalf, M., Velazquez, M., Aghbashian, E., Sisson, N., & Claudio, D. (2022). Rural Hispanic Perceptions of Mental Health: A Qualitative Study. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 33(3), 346–354.1043-6596https://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/17139Sally Moyce et al, Rural Hispanic Perceptions of Mental Health: A Qualitative Study, Journal of Transcultural Nursing (33, 3) pp. . Copyright © 2022. DOI: 10.1177/10436596211070592. Users who receive access to an article through a repository are reminded that the article is protected by copyright and reuse is restricted to non-commercial and no derivative uses. Users may also download and save a local copy of an article accessed in an institutional repository for the user's personal reference. For permission to reuse an article, please follow our Process for Requesting Permission.Introduction: In 2020, 18.4% of Hispanics experienced mental illness, yet only about a third received treatment compared with nearly half of non-Hispanic Whites. In Montana, where only 11% of the mental health needs are currently met, service utilization is low. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of the Hispanic immigrant population in a rural state on mental health and professional service utilization. Methods: Using a descriptive phenomenological approach, we conducted semi-structured telephone interviews in Spanish. Audio recordings were transcribed, translated to English, and analyzed for themes. Results: We recruited a sample of 14 participants from Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela ranging in age from 33 to 59. We identified five themes: definitions of mental health, maintaining mental health, familismo/socialization, stigma, and acculturation stress. Discussion: Novel findings point to the need for Spanish-language services focused on reducing stigma around mental illness and incorporating the importance of social connections.en-UScopyright sage publications 2021https://web.archive.org/web/20200107110644/https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/journal-author-archiving-policies-and-re-usehttps://web.archive.org/web/20200409113510/https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/posting-to-an-institutional-repository-green-open-accessmental healthhispanic immigrantstigmabarriersArticle