Cultural Responsiveness Mental Health Care

It would be prudent to note that culture - which includes various aspects which are inclusive of, but they are not limited to nationality, language, religion, class, and gender - can impact many aspects of mental health (Gopalkrishnan, 2018). Essentially different cultures tend to have different perspectives of mental health. For instance, culture may affect persons view mental illness, therapeutic relationship, and how they seek treatment. In addition, culture can determine how people communicate their mental health issues as well the type of coping strategies they will use. Although culture influences treatment decisions and personal views on mental health, it can also cause discrimination and trauma owing to stigmatization. In this text, I will provide my personal views of mental health based on my culture and upbringing. I will also describe the practices and beliefs of Alaska Natives and how they relate to mental health as well as my own perceptions regarding the said culture.

Mental health affects African Americans in the same way as it does other cultures. However, African Americans are disproportionately affected – meaning that there is a higher rate of mental illness in this realm than is the case in other races. Essentially, most black Americans lack access to mental health care that is culturally competent and are likely to receive poor quality care. African Americans, especially women, are at a higher risk for mental illnesses, i.e. as a consequence of rampant victimization and related factors. As I grew up, I observed many children being taken to child welfare systems and foster care owing to the fact that their parents were not in a position to take care of them as a consequence of mental illness-related issues. In addition, apart from poor access to mental health care, it is important to note that African Americans who present with mental health problems associated with violence tend to be at a higher risk of being incarcerated as compared to other racial groups. Therefore, as an African American female, I perceive that African Americans are treated differently when it comes to access to mental health services, and are more likely to be stigmatized than their white counterparts when they present with mental health problems. In my opinion, mental illnesses call for appropriate intervention and deployment of appropriate treatment strategies. Thus, mental health services should be easily accessible to all regardless of race or other social factors. In addition, I believe that mental health problems should not determine or disrupt relationships. My loved ones also share similar beliefs. I am also of the opinion that mental health issues should not be associated with violence – particularly among African Americans. This is more so the case given that such perceptions worsen an already bad situation, i.e. with regard to the stigma associated with mental illnesses. The said beliefs and perceptions are often passed from one generation to the other.

Alaska Natives or the American Indians make about 2% of the American population. They are culturally diverse in many respects. As of the year 2015, a significant number of this particular population exhibited high poverty rates, and lacked health insurance covers (American Psychiatric Association, 2017). Compared to the entire U.S population, it would be prudent to note that the Alaska Natives have higher rates of mental health issues, which are in turn associated with suicide and substance use. The said disorders have been linked to them being forced to abandon their culture, spiritual practices, parents, and removal from their land (American Psychiatric Association, 2017). Despite the high prevalence of mental health disorders among the Alaska Natives, it should be noted that the rate at which the said group utilizes mental health services is still low. This is more so the case given that they lack related services, culturally trained providers, trust with healthcare providers, and are often victims of stigmatization. Therefore, it is important to note that the Alaska Natives rely on their cultural health practices to treat their mental health problems. For instance, the Alaska Natives practice traditional healing systems whereby the main focus is to balance the spirit, the body, and the mind by creating a link with the land and place (American Psychiatric Association, 2017). According to the Alaska Natives, the said system has the ability to address care needs that are related to mental health in their community. For instance, women and men who have substance use disorder or anxiety believe that spiritual or traditional healers could heal them.