Ethnic differences in psychosis—Lay epidemiology explanations
Abstract Background Much research attention has been given to the high rates of psychosis diagnosed in the Black community. However, little has been heard about possible reasons for this from Black African and Caribbean mental health service users themselves. Aims To determine how Black African and...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2019-10-01
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| Series: | Health Expectations |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.12901 |
| _version_ | 1831572983715463168 |
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| author | Peter Schofield Maria Kordowicz Earl Pennycooke David Armstrong |
| author_facet | Peter Schofield Maria Kordowicz Earl Pennycooke David Armstrong |
| author_sort | Peter Schofield |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Much research attention has been given to the high rates of psychosis diagnosed in the Black community. However, little has been heard about possible reasons for this from Black African and Caribbean mental health service users themselves. Aims To determine how Black African and Caribbean service users perceive and explain these apparent differences. Methods We conducted four focus groups between 2014 and 2015 with 35 participants from the Black African and Black Caribbean community in Lambeth and Southwark, South East London, diagnosed with a psychotic illness. Recruitment was through a local voluntary sector organization and other community contacts. Results Each group described an elevated risk of psychosis in their community and explanations followed the following themes, with increased rates due to: (a) an accumulation of stressors due to disadvantaged ethnic minority status, (b) further disadvantage due to inequitable experiences of mental health services, (c) an absence of community support and (d) a double stigma: as a result of external discrimination, due to ethnicity, and internal stigma about mental illness from within the Black community itself. Conclusions Black mental health service users attributed an elevated risk of psychosis in their community to an accumulation of stressors directly related to ethnic minority status. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T13:37:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b525391e71334057ae28916bb1a8c31d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1369-6513 1369-7625 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T13:37:30Z |
| publishDate | 2019-10-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Expectations |
| spelling | doaj.art-b525391e71334057ae28916bb1a8c31d2022-12-21T21:46:24ZengWileyHealth Expectations1369-65131369-76252019-10-0122596597310.1111/hex.12901Ethnic differences in psychosis—Lay epidemiology explanationsPeter Schofield0Maria Kordowicz1Earl Pennycooke2David Armstrong3School of Population Health & Environmental Sciences King's College London London UKSchool of Population Health & Environmental Sciences King's College London London UKLambeth & Southwark Mind London UKSchool of Population Health & Environmental Sciences King's College London London UKAbstract Background Much research attention has been given to the high rates of psychosis diagnosed in the Black community. However, little has been heard about possible reasons for this from Black African and Caribbean mental health service users themselves. Aims To determine how Black African and Caribbean service users perceive and explain these apparent differences. Methods We conducted four focus groups between 2014 and 2015 with 35 participants from the Black African and Black Caribbean community in Lambeth and Southwark, South East London, diagnosed with a psychotic illness. Recruitment was through a local voluntary sector organization and other community contacts. Results Each group described an elevated risk of psychosis in their community and explanations followed the following themes, with increased rates due to: (a) an accumulation of stressors due to disadvantaged ethnic minority status, (b) further disadvantage due to inequitable experiences of mental health services, (c) an absence of community support and (d) a double stigma: as a result of external discrimination, due to ethnicity, and internal stigma about mental illness from within the Black community itself. Conclusions Black mental health service users attributed an elevated risk of psychosis in their community to an accumulation of stressors directly related to ethnic minority status.https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.12901epidemiologyethnicitypsychosis |
| spellingShingle | Peter Schofield Maria Kordowicz Earl Pennycooke David Armstrong Ethnic differences in psychosis—Lay epidemiology explanations Health Expectations epidemiology ethnicity psychosis |
| title | Ethnic differences in psychosis—Lay epidemiology explanations |
| title_full | Ethnic differences in psychosis—Lay epidemiology explanations |
| title_fullStr | Ethnic differences in psychosis—Lay epidemiology explanations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ethnic differences in psychosis—Lay epidemiology explanations |
| title_short | Ethnic differences in psychosis—Lay epidemiology explanations |
| title_sort | ethnic differences in psychosis lay epidemiology explanations |
| topic | epidemiology ethnicity psychosis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.12901 |
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