Impact Of Asian Culture On Mental Health

The research problem I am interested in studying is mental health in Southeast Asian Community. Growing up, my mother suffered from major depression and younger brother with bipolar disorder. However, my parents would not acknowledge and does not believe that talking to medical professional with help them. My brother joined a gang and was getting involved in criminal activities in middle school. He went to juvenile hall to group homes, prison and then moved to Minnesota to live with his friends. Based off my personal experiences, I believe that Southeast Asian individuals need become aware of mental health rather than thinking it is only for crazy individuals. I’m interested in studying of the need and problem of mental health in the Southeast Asian community. I would conduct a qualitatively research. I would like to understand the reasons of why Southeast Asian individuals opinions of mental health issues. Since mental health illness is viewed as a weakness, I would like to find new techniques to help counsel the Southeast Asian Community.

Mental illness is measured the product of a complicated interaction among organic, mental, social, and cultural factors. The function of any one of these main factors can be stronger or weaker depending on the disorder.

Many cultural beliefs and values are held about mental illness and health in Americans of

The article Asian American Mental Health: What We Know And What We Don't Know by Stanley Sue was about Asian Americans and how they deal with their mental health. There are about 4% of Asians in the United States and because of this small percentage; it is hard for researchers to find people to help conclude their studies. What some have found out is that Asian Americans are offered mental health services but rarely use it. They find other ways such as asking their family for help or making an herbal remedy to help with their sickness. A researcher named Kuo has studies that show Asians are more depressed than Caucasians. According to a researcher named Leong the high depression rate is because Asians have problems with adjusting. I think what these researchers have studied is a great topic but it just needs more information. According to the article since it is such a low population of Asians in America it is hard to find people to do the research on. I think if they keep looking they can get more information about this topic.

THE IMPACT OF CULTURE ON MENTAL HEALTH AND HOW THIS CAN AFFECT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEN THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER AND THE CLIENT

Mental illness is an increasing problem in America. Currently about 26.2% of Americans suffer from a mental disorder. A mental illness/disorder is a medical condition that disrupts a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, and ability to relate to others and daily functions. Mental illness can affect humans of any age, race, gender and socioeconomic status. However the care that is needed to effectively cure and help the people affected by the illness is not equal for everyone here in American, especially for African Americans.

Although about 450 million people in the world currently are suffering from a mental illness, many untreated, the topic still remains taboo in modern society (Mental Health). For years, people with mental illnesses have been shut away or institutionalized, and despite cultural progression in many areas, mental illnesses are still shamed and rarely brought to light outside of the psychiatric community. The many different forms in which mental illness can occur are incredibly prevalent in the world today, and there is a substantial debate about the way that they should be handled. Some people are of the opinion that mental illness is merely a variance in perception and that it either can be fixed through therapy or should not be treated at

In 2014, the Asian American population accounted for nearly 5.4% of the total United States (U.S) population and is projected to increase to 9.3% by the year 2060.1 Currently, the cities with the largest populations of Asian Americans include the major metropolitan and surrounding areas of Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington D.C. and Honolulu.1 In this report, the Asian American population was defined as individuals who reported their race as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Asian Indian, Vietnamese, Filipino and/or other Asian to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2010. As the second fastest-growing ethnic group in the U.S., appropriate outreach and access to health care services, such as mental health is more critical than ever.

As a health care professional, we are faced with caring for patients of different cultural and ethnic background. Researching and learning about the patient’s culture values, beliefs and practices is essential and remarks the ability to provide quality health care for the patient. “Organizations and individuals who understand their clients’ cultural values, beliefs, and practices are in a better position to be coparticipants with their clients in providing culturally acceptable care” (Purnell & Paulanka, 2008, p. 2). After completing the cultural competence checklist, I was able to identify some of my responses to the patient cultural values and belief practices. I will describe a summary of my assessment results, analyze

Cultural competence can indicate the differences that exist among various ethnic and cultural groups in our country. As a healthcare provider, it is essential to understand the diverse cultures and their values, traditions and there history, so with all these in mind we can provide high quality patient care. Recognizing these needs can be accomplished with continuous education and training. We are in a culturally diverse society where the healthcare providers need to increase their awareness and sensitivity toward different patient populations and work to understand culturally influenced health behaviors. We are interacting with many people from varied cultural origins and ethnic backgrounds who bring with them values and beliefs that can differ from our expectations. Each patient is unique in their needs so understanding these cultural differences can aid communication and thereby improve patient care. Some cultures may be offended by direct eye contact or asking personal questions that are necessary for the health history may be recognized by them as an inexcusable invasion of privacy. Patient cross-cultural communication with other cultures in a way that minimizes misunderstandings and maximizes trust between the patients and healthcare providers. To avoid any complications and to decrease the likelihood of any liability and malpractice claims, healthcare organizations should follow and meet legislative regulatory and the accreditation

After reading Crazy like Us, I believe that Mental illness is universal / globalized level. The case studies we read shows that there will be different symptoms depending on the culture to describe a disease. Some of the pros to this is being able to improve the overall definition that used to describe a disease. We can use more than just the American studies to describe anoxia, and find a way to help patients who suffer from it in different places around the world. One of the cons to making an overall definition of a mental disease will not apply to how someone functions. An example of this is the diagnosing of depression in japan and how they perceive depression is different from an American who thinks on more of an individualist and reflective

All cultures have differnet beliefs about mental health and how they precieve what causes the disorders, how it can be cured or treated, and who should be involved in the process. Western coutries such as the United States, which see mental disorders as a result of natural scientific phenomena, advocate medical treatments that combat neurological imbalance and/or the use technology to diagnose and treat mental health disorders. Other countries believe that mental illness is the result of supernatural phenomena and promote prayer or other spiritual interventions that counter the presumed disfavor of powerful forces. Some cultures might ignore seeking professional medical help because they believe

Culture has a great effect on attitudes toward therapy. According to the National Institution of Mental Health each individual or groups of people bring a variation of beliefs to the therapeutic setting such as communicating what issues to report, types of coping styles, social support, and cultural stigma towards mental health. More often it is culture that bears on whether or not an individual will seek help. For example there is a widespread tendency to stigmatize mental illness in Asian countries. People with mental illness are considered dangerous and create social distance and

Mental health—and the stigma that comes along with it—is a very important issue, one of global importance. Shah and Beinecke explain that 450 to 500 million people suffer from mental illnesses (15). Just considering the amount of people who suffer from mental illness is enough to prove that this is a global issue. Despite the large amounts of people who are affected by mental illness, only one third of countries have some sort of program to help (15). This shows the lack of concern for those who suffer from mental illness. Stereotypes affect many people, and those with mental illness are no exception. Everyone has their own preconceived perspectives and notions of mental health, and many of them are uninformed and unjustified. It is up to us to start changing our viewpoints on mental health.

“Culture comprises of shared beliefs values, and practices that guide a group’s members in patterned ways of thinking and acting. Culture can also be viewed as a blueprint for guiding actions that impact care, health, and well-being” (Leininger & McFarland, 2006). “Culture is more than ethnicity and social norms; it includes religious, geographic, socio-economic, occupational, ability-or disability-related, and sexual orientation-related beliefs and behaviors. Each group has cultural beliefs, values, and practices that guide its members in ways of thinking and acting. Cultural norms help members of the group make sense of the world around them and make decisions about appropriate ways to relate and behave. Because