Title: Culture & Society's Influence on Mental Health Pasadena Villa
Headings: Culture & Society’s Influence on Mental Health
Culture & Society’s Influence on Mental Health
The Scope of Mental Health Disorders among Cultural Groups
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Content: Furthermore, there is poor representation of minorities in mental health research studies so, there are very few studies examining the effects of being a minority with a mental illness. There is a strong association between culture and mental health stigmas. Several surveys and studies show that differences in stigma exist between the various groups, although research offers few explanations as to why these differences exist. Stigmas regarding mental illness vary between cultures but some stigmas cross cultural and social boundaries. Examples of cultural stigmas regarding mental illnesses include: The cultural perception of people with mental illness as being more dangerous, as compared to the perceptions held by another race
Reluctance to marry or employ someone with a mental illness
A call for separation from those with mental illnesses, even though research shows interaction usually reduces stigmatization
Reluctance to engage in treatment out of fears that their race would elicit unfair conduct on the part of healthcare workers
Suppressed communication between the health care professionals and patients regarding the state of an individual’s mental health status
Reluctance to share information or concerns about one’s mental health status with friends, co-workers, or family members
The perspective that mental illness reflects poorly on the entire family
Many mental health experts consider mental illness to be the product of complex interactions between biological, psychological, cultural, and social factors. The contribution of each of these factors varies by disorder. Variations in cultural and social stigmas result in differences in the occurrence of certain mental health issues, such as: Suicide rates
Incidence of “folk illnesses” recognized only within a specific culture or society
Prevalence of various mental illness types
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) rates, especially in relation to trauma experienced in
The Scope of Mental Health Disorders among Cultural Groups
In 2012, about 43.7 million adults in the U.S. experienced a mental illness within a year, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health statistics presented the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). This means about 18.6 percent of adult Americans have a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder at any given time.