TY - JOUR
AU - B. King
AU - Y. Suchil
AU - O. E. Adepoju
AU - W. Liaw
A1 - 
AB - Medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) address social determinants of health by integrating legal services into health care settings. This study examines associations between health-harming legal needs (HHLNs) and mental health quality among family medicine clinic patients screened for MLP referral. A retrospective cohort of 475 patients completed an HHLN screening instrument, including a measure of mentally unhealthy days (MUDs). Zero-inflated negative binomial models assessed associations between HHLNs and MUDs, adjusting for demographics. Patients with any HHLN had 65% lower odds of reporting zero MUDs. Worrying about housing instability was the strongest independent predictor of increased MUDs, associated with a 56% increase. Black race was associated with greater odds of reporting zero MUDs. Housing concerns are a key driver of mental health quality, highlighting the need for targeted legal interventions. Integrating MLP screening into primary care may help identify and address legal issues impacting patient mental health.
AD - Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Systems and Population Health Sciences, Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine, University of Houston, and the Humana Integrated Health Systems Sciences Institute, Houston, Texas.; Student at the College of Education, University of Houston, Houston, Texas.; Clinical Professor in the Department of Health Systems and Population Health Sciences, Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine, University of Houston, and the Humana Integrated Health Systems Sciences Institute, Houston, Texas.; Clinical Professor in the Department of Health Systems and Population Health Sciences, Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine, University of Houston, Houston, Texas.
AN - 41343232
BT - Bull Menninger Clin
C5 - Healthcare Disparities
CP - 4
DA - Fall
DO - 10.1521/bumc.2025.89.4.297
DP - NLM
IS - 4
JF - Bull Menninger Clin
LA - eng
N2 - Medical-legal partnerships (MLPs) address social determinants of health by integrating legal services into health care settings. This study examines associations between health-harming legal needs (HHLNs) and mental health quality among family medicine clinic patients screened for MLP referral. A retrospective cohort of 475 patients completed an HHLN screening instrument, including a measure of mentally unhealthy days (MUDs). Zero-inflated negative binomial models assessed associations between HHLNs and MUDs, adjusting for demographics. Patients with any HHLN had 65% lower odds of reporting zero MUDs. Worrying about housing instability was the strongest independent predictor of increased MUDs, associated with a 56% increase. Black race was associated with greater odds of reporting zero MUDs. Housing concerns are a key driver of mental health quality, highlighting the need for targeted legal interventions. Integrating MLP screening into primary care may help identify and address legal issues impacting patient mental health.
PY - 2025
SN - 0025-9284
SP - 297
EP - 322+
ST - Health-harming legal needs and their relationship with mentally unhealthy days in participants screened for a medical-legal partnership
T1 - Health-harming legal needs and their relationship with mentally unhealthy days in participants screened for a medical-legal partnership
T2 - Bull Menninger Clin
TI - Health-harming legal needs and their relationship with mentally unhealthy days in participants screened for a medical-legal partnership
U1 - Healthcare Disparities
U3 - 10.1521/bumc.2025.89.4.297
VL - 89
VO - 0025-9284
Y1 - 2025
ER -