Running Head: DIVERSITY IN MENTAL HEALTH 1

Diversity in Mental Health

Name

Institutional Affiliation
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Diversity in Mental Health

History and culture are terms that are significantly broad and they can be defined in a

range of methods depending on the field and perspective of study of the individuals. The terms

history and culture bring in the argument of societies and tribe. As society argues, culture,

traditions and history are multilayered concepts that are normally influenced by several issues

such as class, nationality, language, religion and gender among other. From a social perspective,

culture is identified as a set of values that the members of a target group hold. Culture to this end

normally includes the norms that such groups of people follow as well as the material goods that

they create. Culture by itself is a term that is impacted by a broader context of social issues and

norms.

When people think of mental health, they often gain the perspective that it is a very

personal matter that has to do only with the individuals. However, mental health and mental

illness in general are diverse in the sense that they are normally affected by a combination of

psychological, genetic, biological, societal and historical factors (Babacan & Gopalkrishnan,

2016). The interconnection between these factors is quite crucial. However, the role and

influence that is normally played by the societal and historical factors is often overlooked. The

interesting aspect of society in influencing diversity in mental health is that culture and

backgrounds influence the mental health experiences of the individuals.

Research findings from different sources provide support to the argument that culture has

a significant influence on the diversity in mental health. The society determines how people

present symptom, both physical and emotional. Often, people will seek to identify methods

through which they can present their mental health symptoms in a way that is culturally

appropriate and without having to reflect badly on them. Studies have shown that in Asia, the
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patients tend to report the somatic symptoms when they are normally questions about their

mental health status. However, in the long run, they end up revealing the emotional afflictions

that they may be having when they are asked to provide specific information about their mental

health.

Furthermore, there is normally a significant difference in the way culture differs in the

level of concern and significance that they provide to individuals with mental health issues.

Every culture has developed arguments that they use to make sense of the highly subjective

experiences that they face relating to mental health (Frank, 2013). The different argument

developed tend to rule whether mental health issues are real or imagined, whether it is an issue of

the body or the mind, the people who are at risk of suffering from mental health issues and the

underlying factors that may influence the risk of mental illness. Finally, the stigma associated

with mental health issues is normally brought about by the thoughts and arguments that the

society develops in regards to mental illnesses. This is what makes mental illnesses to be more

prevalent in some communities and cultures than others.

The level of stigma and its prevalence in different cultures and communities is largely

determined by whether the disorder is rooted more on genetics or social factors. For example,

there is a significant consistency throughout the world on the prevalence of schizophrenia.

Subsequently, there is a high attribution to culture and social factors on the suicide rates that are

associated with depression and post-traumatic stress disorders. Based on the cultural influences

and ideas developed around the communities they live, people tend to make decisions on how

they go around coping with mental illnesses and in the way they seek treatment.

Integrating the four lenses helps to better understand how problems in diversity help to

understand the impact of both professional and personal contexts. Based on the ideas of the
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communities and culture influences of the people, the individuals at a personal and professional

level are affected by the diversity in mental health. On a personal level, people have shown

different reactions on how they express their thoughts (Hechanova & Waelde 2017). For

example, a larger volume of the Asian groups have been shown to have the preference to avoid

having thoughts that are upsetting with regard to their personal problems rather than expressing

their distress. Furthermore, the African American groups have been shown to be better at

handling problems and distresses on their own without necessarily relying on professional and

spiritual help when compared to the whites. The cultural factors often determine how much

support the people suffering from mental health conditions receive from their families and

communities. This is quite crucial since the mental issues cannot be ignored and left untreated.

Often, doing this can significantly impact on the quality of life and may lead to severe distress

and secondary health issues.

Addressing issues that relate to diversity in mental health is normally provides different

benefits to the stakeholders. First, the diverse cultural perspectives can help to drive innovation

and inspire creativity. Understanding how the different cultures think about the mental health

issues can help the professional in the field to become more innovative in offering health related

solutions. Furthermore, the addressing the issues that relate to diversity in mental health may

help to instill sensitivity, insights and local knowledge to provide better quality in targeting and

solving health related issues (Fernando, 2015). Having a diverse skill base allows the individuals

and professionals to be more adaptable to a wide range of possible solutions. Having different

skill and understanding the opinion of different people will help to better understand and offer

solution to the different mental health issues that people from different cultures and backgrounds

face.
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Finally, addressing the issues that relate to diversity in mental health may result in the

misinterpretation of cultures that may be difficult to understand. Whereas quality translations

may be central to effectively understanding culture, there may be a risk of communication

getting lost in translation among the multicultural backgrounds. Language barriers to this end

only present a single challenge to this. Misinterpretation could significantly undermine the

quality of service that the professional offer to this with mental health related issues.
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References

Babacan H and Gopalkrishnan N. (2016). Public policy, immigrant experiences, and health

outcomes in Australia. In: Raphael D., editor, Immigration, Public Policy, and Health:

Newcomer Experiences in Developed Nations Toronto, ON: Canadian Scholars' Press;

pp. 59–95. 

Fernando S. (2015). Race and Culture in Psychiatry. Hove: Routledge.

Frank RF. (2013).  Falling Behind: How Rising Inequality Harms the Middle Class. Berkely; Los

Angeles, CA: University of California Press.

Hechanova R and Waelde L. (2017). The influence of culture on disaster mental health and

psychosocial support interventions in Southeast Asia. Mental Health Religion

Cult. 20:31–44. 10.1080/13674676.2017.1322048