But then again India is a place where you cannot I think cover all the cultures and all the and you know other of gestures that they make. So, we do have a subject but that teaches a lot about myself and also other cultures. We do have the subject on social culture so Social Psychology. https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.ps.202100519 For example, some graduate students in India described a course in social psychology that included content related to cultural diversity. It didn’t apply it to this broad and important range of context of culture. The background of the child, the culture of the child… So, we have discussed about this, but not much.
Refugee and Migrant Health: Protecting Vulnerable People on the Move
For example, several studies suggest that stigma can lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment-seeking behaviors 13,16. Another approach to overcoming the barriers created by stigma is to use evidence-based methods to reduce mental illness stigma. The findings demonstrated that consumer-providers significantly reduced self-stigma among service users, while also improving self-esteem and feelings of empowerment. They were able to better respect and incorporate Indigenous perspectives in treatment, which led to increased trust and better patient-provider relationships. Awareness campaigns can be instrumental in dismantling misconceptions and fostering understanding of mental health disorders.
Tackling language barriers
Among these 15 curricula, race/ethnicity (53.3%), sexual orientation (53.3%), and general multiculturalism (46.7%) were the most frequently discussed cultural identities. Four topics (i.e., sociocultural/historical information, identity, client interaction, stereotypes) were discussed in over 80% of curricula that saw changes in cultural attitudes. Among these effective curricula, race/ethnicity was the most frequently discussed cultural identity (64.7%) and all other cultural identity categories were discussed in approximately less than a third of curricula.
Differences in societal perceptions across cultures can lead to distinct forms of discrimination, further compounding the challenges faced by individuals with mental health issues. Lastly, at the societal level, these cultural perceptions and beliefs can contribute to the broader social stigma surrounding mental health, leading to discrimination and social exclusion. This widely held belief can influence healthcare providers’ approach and potentially limit the provision of evidence-based psychiatric care. This can make women less likely to seek help for mental health issues, further exacerbating their condition and creating a vicious cycle of stigma and untreated mental illness. Stereotyping, deeply embedded in societal attitudes, can foster a culture of fear, rejection, and discrimination against individuals with mental health conditions. People living with mental health conditions may avoid or discontinue treatment due to fear of being identified as a mental health patient.
- Historically, research has shown that patients prefer for their health practitioners to be from the same cultural background as their own, especially for those with language barriers .
- Healthcare professionals should use community assessments to understand the social and linguistic characteristics of the populations they serve, which is essential for delivering effective and equitable care.
- In some cultures, mental health issues are highly stigmatized.
- Furthermore, cultural competence, which includes knowledge about culture-bound syndromes, has a substantial impact on treatment outcomes.
- Being culturally competent involves learning about different cultural practices and beliefs and developing approaches to treatment that respect these differences.
Some practitioners felt that cultural competence was ignored or trivialised on a wider scale and that some of their colleagues harboured prejudiced and discriminatory attitudes. Consistent with existing literature 3, 57, 61,62,63,64 language was also identified in our study as a barrier to delivering care; being bi- or multi-lingual, having access to such colleagues, and/or using interpreter services were critical to overcoming language barriers. In such instances, the practitioner is a ‘boundary crosser’, part of the same culture as well as part of the health sector, trusted by both groups .
