Gender differences in mental health literacy among Chinese-speaking Australians in Melbourne, Australia

Objective: This study attempted to understand gender differences in knowledge of mental illness, preference for professional help, and medications and treatment methods among Australians of Chinese-speaking background.Methods: This study adopted a cluster convenience sampling method in which subjects were taken from the four major areas in cosmopolitan Melbourne where most Chinese people are living. A total of 200 Chinese-speaking Australians participated in the study. They were presented with two vignettes describing an individual with acute depression or acute schizophrenia and then questions were asked to assess their understanding of the conditions, preference for professional help, medications and treatment methods.Results: More female than male respondents could correctly identify the conditions in the two vignettes. Female participants also perceived medications to be relatively more harmful than their male counterparts. In contrast, there were significantly more males than females who adhered to traditional views on the causation of mental illness; had significantly higher percentages of endorsement of 'deal with it alone'; believed 'traditional Chinese medical doctor' and 'Chinese herbal medicines' to be helpful to the person in the schizophrenia vignette; and significantly endorsed 'psychiatric ward', 'electro-convulsive treatment', 'changing fungshui' and 'traditional Chinese worship' to be helpful for the persons in both vignettes. A combination of factors, which included age, duration of migration and traditional Chinese cultural values, were put forward to explain the above differences.Conclusions: Campaigns to improve the mental health literacy of Chinese-speaking Australians must take into account the gender differences between male and female Chinese-speaking Australians so that culturally relevant and gender-specific education programmes can be developed. © SAGE Publications 2010.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Depression literacy among Chinese in Shanghai, China: A comparison with Chinese-speaking Australians in Melbourne and Chinese in Hong Kong

Objective: The study reported in this paper was aimed at developing understanding of depression-related knowledge and preferences surrounding professional help, medication, and treatment methods among Chinese living in Shanghai, China. Methods: A multi-stage cluster sampling method in which participants were taken from 6 of the 20 districts in Shanghai was adopted for this study. The 522 Shanghai Chinese participants were presented with a vignette describing an individual with depression before being asked questions designed to assess both their understanding of depression and their preferences surrounding professional help, medication, and treatment methods. A comparative approach was adopted to identify similarities and differences between our findings and those of two previous studies on the mental health literacy of Chinese living in Melbourne, Australia, and Hong Kong, respectively. Results: A similarly low percentage of Chinese people in each of Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Australia recognized depression. Fewer Shanghai Chinese than Chinese living in Hong Kong and Australia ascribed the 'anxiety/stress' label to the depression vignette and endorsed professionals and informal network members as helpful. Although a far lower percentage of Shanghai Chinese endorsed the use of counseling professionals, a much higher percentage of the same group endorsed Chinese medical doctors and herbal medication. A lower percentage of Shanghai Chinese endorsed 'lifestyle changes' as a strategy for combating depression than did Chinese subjects living in Australia and Hong Kong. On the other hand, a higher percentage of Shanghai residents endorsed psychiatric treatment and the traditional Chinese practices of 'eating nutritious food/taking supplements' and 'qigong' than among the other two groups of Chinese. Conclusions: This study underlines the need for campaigns aimed at improving the mental health literacy of Chinese in Shanghai. Such campaigns must take into consideration the socially and culturally driven beliefs to facilitate the development of specific education programs. © Springer-Verlag 2011.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

EALD students at university level: Strengthening the evidence base for programmatic initiatives

English language standards of students who have English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EALD) have long been a concern in English-medium universities. Universities offer a range of programs and practices to support EALD students through their university education. These programs are designed to ensure that EALD students have opportunities to be successful at university and to enhance their employment options. However, research has raised doubts about their effectiveness. Practices can be fragmented and they are often not included in the core business of disciplinary learning and teaching practices. The challenge for universities is in identifying, monitoring, and evaluating best practices for English language programs. This chapter presents a framework that can guide institutions in strengthening the evidence base for their English language practices. The evidence base is important as it assists universities in assuring graduates’ English language standards are at an appropriate level within a competitive educational environment