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Stereotypes still hinder race equality

Policy attempts to improve race equality in mental health services at national level are still not working at local health service level, researchers have warned in a King’s Fund report.

Looking at mental health care in London, the authors found the inequalities in service were exacerbating mental illness problems, particularly for women from black and minority ethnic groups. For instance, with Irish communities often overlooked in race equality strategies, Irish women when compared with other white groups had the highest overall psychiatric admission rates and under-use of community-based services.

Commenting on Ethnic Diversity and Mental Health in London: Recent developments, co-author Dr Frank Keating said: ‘Many black and minority ethnic women only receive treatment and support at crisis point. This is usually because of a lack of confidence and trust in services and an inadequate knowledge of what’s available.’

‘It’s up to primary care trusts to lead local action to achieve change and tackle the inequalities’, Dr Keating added.

The mental health needs of black and ethnic minority women in London, researchers found, were still being viewed in ‘stereotyped ethnic images – for instance, as ‘loud and difficult to manage’, in the case of African-Caribbean women’. Asian women were being viewed still as having problems rooted exclusively in ‘cultural conflict or practice’ within the family.

The researchers have called for race equality to have greater prominence in local strategies – including active participation and representation of black and minority ethnic communities in needs assessment, service development and delivery.

Report’s authors: Dr Frank Keating, David Robertson and Nutan Kotecha