At the crossroads of anthropology and epidemiology: Current research in cultural psychiatry in the UK

Abstract

Cultural psychiatry research in the UK comprises a broad range of diverse methodologies, academic disciplines, and subject areas. Methodologies range from epidemiological to anthropological/ethnographic to health services research; mixed methods research is becoming increasingly popular, as are public health and health promotional topics. After briefly outlining the history of cultural psychiatry in the UK we will discuss contemporary research. Prominent themes include: the epidemiology of schizophrenia among Africans/Afro-Caribbeans, migration and mental health, racism and mental health, cultural identity, pathways to care, explanatory models of mental illness, cultural competence, and the subjective experiences of healthcare provision among specific ethnic groups such as Bangladeshis and Pakistanis. Another strand of research that is attracting increasing academic attention focuses upon the relationship between religion, spirituality, and mental health, in particular, the phenomenology of religious experience and its mental health ramifications, as well as recent work examining the complex links between theology and psychiatry. The paper ends by appraising the contributions of British cultural psychiatrists to the discipline of cultural psychiatry and suggesting promising areas for future research.

A Mental Health Survey of Different Ethnic and Occupational Groups in Xinjiang, China

“…Total GHQ-20 scores were lower in the Uygur and Kazak minorities than in the majority Han ethnic group, possibly due to beliefs and religious activities that can lower the risk of mental health problems [ 47 ] and often give people hope and support when they are sick or in trouble [ 48 ]. Religious beliefs have also been shown to influence behavior and health in both simple and complex ways [ 49 ], and have been shown to have protective effects against depression and psychosis [ 18 , 50 ]. Additionally, greater religiousness has been shown to be mildly associated with fewer depression symptoms [ 50 ].…”

“…For example, British of African and/or Caribbean descent are more likely to suffer mental health problems compared to their white British counterparts [ 17 ]. Another study found that the Dutch tend to have better mental health than other ethnic groups, which can be partially explained by less stressful working conditions as well as religious beliefs [ 18 , 19 ], which have been shown to have important implications for the promotion of public mental health [ 18 ]. Previous studies have also shown that harsh psychosocial working conditions associated with certain occupational groups can lead to a variety of diseases [ 19 ] including mental health disorders [ 20 , 21 ] and cardiovascular disease [ 22 ].…”

Cultural Differences in Psychosis: The Role of Causal Beliefs and Stigma in White British and South Asians

“…Similarly, Jobanaputra and Furnham (2005) found, in a qualitative study, that older and younger Indian immigrants in the United Kingdom were more likely to endorse beliefs about health in relation to supernatural factors than White British. Studies have also found that, when comparing biological and supernatural causes of mental health problems, White British groups mentioned biological causes more frequently than other non-White groups, who endorsed supernatural causes more frequently (Dein & Bhui, 2013).…”

Does culture impact on notions of criminal responsibility and action? The case of spirit possession

“…This requires further exploration and development of the relevant tools to formulate cases in ways that allow the use of a cultural defense when appropriate. The study of culture in forensic psychiatry can help contextualize an offender's action and experience (Dein & Bhui, 2013).…”