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- Title
Understanding Immigrants' Reluctance to Use Mental Health Services: A Qualitative Study From Montreal.
- Authors
Whitley, Rob; Kirmayer, Laurence J.; Groleau, Danielle
- Abstract
Objective: Studies suggest that non-European immigrants to Canada tend to under use mental health services, compared with Canadian-born people. Social, cultural, religious, linguistic, geographic, and economic variables may contribute to this underuse. This paper explores the reasons for underuse of conventional mental health services in a community sample of immigrants with identified emotional and somatic symptoms. Method: Fifteen West Indian immigrants in Montreal with somatic symptoms and (or) emotional distress, not currently using mental health services, participated in a face-to-face in-depth interview exploring health care use. Interviews were analyzed thematically to discern common factors explaining reluctance to use services. Results: Across participants' narratives, we identified 3 significant factors explaining their reluctance to use mental health services. First, there was a perceived overwillingness of doctors to rely on pharmaceutical medications as interventions. Second, participants perceived a dismissive attitude and lack of time from physicians in previous encounters that deterred their use of current health service. Third, many participants reported a belief in the curative power of nonmedical interventions, most notably God and to a lesser extent, traditional folk medicine. Conclusion: The above factors may highlight important areas for intervention to reduce disparities in immigrant use of mental health care. We present our framework as a model, grounded in empirical data, that further research can explore.
- Subjects
CANADA; MENTAL health services; SERVICES for immigrants; MEDICAL care; PSYCHOLOGICAL distress; MENTAL health; SOCIAL factors; HEALTH services administration; SOCIAL services
- Publication
Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 2006, Vol 51, Issue 4, p205
- ISSN
0706-7437
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1177/070674370605100401