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Children and Mental Health: a minority perspective
- Krishna Menon (21 August 2008)
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Krishna Menon, Specialty Doctor Mole Valley CAMHS
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kmenon{at}nhs.net Krishna Menon
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I find it rather interesting that parents from black and minority ethnic communities (BEM),as well as boys, seem to be under represented in the study sample, especially given the fact that the study was conducted in Croydon, where over 30% of the population belong to ethnic minorities. It is also significant that only one of the subjects included in the study from BEM had possibly initiated contact with the services i.e. referred by the GP. The finding mirrors those of studies done on CAMHS referrals among ethnic minorities (Stern et al, 1990, Lamb et al, 2002) which have found that children and families from South Asian and Black communities are underepresented among referrals. Past studies have also shown differences in routes and reasons of referral, with black children more likely to present with more urgent problems and children from South Asian backgrounds being more likely to be referred by specialist doctors and educational services (Daryanani,2001,Lamb et al,2002) We also know that the incidence of self harm and suicide are disproportionately high among young Asian women aged 15-35 years (Bhardwaj 2001), which is thought to be due to higher levels of cultural and intergenerational conflict in this group. Research suggests that past experiences of possible discrimination and disadvantage, coupled with communication barriers and negative experiences with statutory services have left minority communities with little faith that services can understand and meet their needs (Messent and Murrell,2003). There have been relatively few studies which have explored the views of both children and parents from minority communities, although providing more information in the accessible languages, facilitating access through having a ethnically and professionally diverse staff group,involving minority communities in the planning and development of services and even reduction of perceived stigma through renaming the services have shown to promote engagement with CAMH Services among minority communities (Lamb et al 2002, Fatimilchin,2007). However, this cannot take away the fact that more could be done to make CAMH services more inclusive of ethnic minorities and any research project which fails to seek a representative view of members from these vulnerable groups risks perpetuating this significant gap in service. References: STERN, G., COTTRELL, D. & HOLMES, J. (1990) Patterns of attendance of child psychiatry out-patients with special reference to Asian families. British Journal of Psychiatry, 156, 384-387 LAMB, GRAEME, ANFIELD, ANITA,SHEERAN, ANNE Access to a child mental health service: A comparison of Bangladeshi and non-Bangladeshi families Psychiatr Bull 2002 26: 15-18 DARYANANI R, HINDLEY P, EVANS C, FAHY P & TURK J (2001) Ethnicity and use of child and adolescent mental health service Child Psychology & Psychiatry Review 6 (3)127-132 BHARDWAJ A, Growing up young, Asian and female in Britain: A report on self-harm and suicide Feminist Review,2001 68, 52–68 MESSANT P, MARGARET MURRELL Research leading to action:A study of accessibility of a CAMH service to ethnic minority families Child & Adolescent Mental Health 2003 Vol 8, No 3 pp 118-124 FATIMILEHIN I Building bridges in Liverpool: Delivering CAMHS to black and minority ethnic children and their families Journal of Integrated Care 2007, 15,3 ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Source pg 7 |
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