Mental health misconceptions among at-risk populations: The case of hotel workers.

Introduction: Most hotel workers represent disadvantaged populations in the United States. Socioecological stress-related factors increase the risk for poor mental health outcomes, yet accounts of worker perceptions of mental health are scarce.

Methods: We conducted five focus groups among 23 hotel room cleaners and individual interviews with six hotel managers.

Results: Four themes emerged: Mental health is related to mental illness, mental health is associated with being crazy, mental health can be controlled, and mental health is taboo yet universal.

Conclusion: These findings indicate mental health is poorly understood among this population. Education and tailored interventions are needed to address adverse mental health outcomes.