TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS AMONG ETHNIC MINORITIES IN WESTERN SETTINGS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Objectives: This systematic review looked at the utilisation of treatment, access to treatment and referral of ethnic minorities for treatment of eating disorders in western settings. It also aimed to explore the barriers in access and utilisation of treatment including the role of acculturation. Methods: The review included both qualitative and quantitative studies. The search identified a total of 2786 articles. Out of the 2786 articles, 12 articles (1 qualitative and 11 quantitative) were selected for the purpose of the research. Results: The review showed that ethnic minority communities in UK and USA were far less likely to seek and receive treatment for their eating disorders and also less likely to be diagnosed and referred to eating disorder services or clinics for treatment of their eating disorders. Referral bias of ethnic minority participants to specialist eating disorder services were found in three quantitative studies (Waller et al. 2009, Becker et al. 2003, Abbas et al. 2010). The review also found that more accultured ethnic minority participants were more likely to seek treatment for their eating disorders. Conclusion: The above study has shown that ethnic minorities are less likely to have access to treatment for Eating Disorders

Drug Consumption in Conflict Zones in Somalia

The authors discuss the public health implications of a new study on the use of khat and other drugs by Somali combatants

A case study of organisational cultural competence in mental healthcare

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ensuring Cultural Competence (CC) in health care is a mechanism to deliver culturally appropriate care and optimise recovery. In policies that promote cultural competence, the training of mental health practitioners is a key component of a culturally competent organisation. This study examines staff perceptions of CC and the integration of CC principles in a mental healthcare organisation. The purpose is to show interactions between organisational and individual processes that help or hinder recovery orientated services.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We carried out a case study of a large mental health provider using a cultural competence needs analysis. We used structured and semi-structured questionnaires to explore the perceptions of healthcare professionals located in one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse areas of England, its capital city London.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was some evidence that clinical staff were engaged in culturally competent activities. We found a growing awareness of cultural competence amongst staff in general, and many had attended training. However, strategic plans and procedures that promote cultural competence tended to not be well communicated to all frontline staff; whilst there was little understanding at corporate level of culturally competent clinical practices. The provider organisation had commenced a targeted recruitment campaign to recruit staff from under-represented ethnic groups and it developed collaborative working patterns with service users.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>There is evidence to show tentative steps towards building cultural competence in the organisation. However, further work is needed to embed cultural competence principles and practices at all levels of the organisation, for example, by introducing monitoring systems that enable organisations to benchmark their performance as a culturally capable organisation.</p

Attachment-based psychosocial programme for under-privileged school children with adverse life experiences in Istanbul, Turkey

From Springer Nature via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: received 2021-10-23, accepted 2022-09-27, registration 2022-09-30, pub-electronic 2022-10-08, online 2022-10-08, collection 2022-12Acknowledgements: Acknowledgements: The attachment-based psychosocial programme we implemented would not have been possible without the support we received from the Maltepe University and the local municipality where the school is located. We would like to thank professors and students from different faculties of the university, the primary school headmaster, teachers, school management, school support staff and local community and voluntary organisations for the pivotal roles they played during the formation and delivery of the psychosocial programme.Publication status: PublishedAbstract: Children experiencing educational neglect are likely to experience the harm associated with adverse life experiences and a range of emotional and psychological challenges. Using attachment theory and psychosocial frameworks, we devised and implemented an intervention designed to ameliorate the deleterious effects of challenging behaviours in an elementary school situated in a deprived neighbourhood of Istanbul, Turkey. For a period of eight months, 160 pupils received a psychosocial intervention once a week. Children’s patterns of behaviour, emotions, movements, interactivity, socialisation and interpersonal communications were observed during this period. Core activities of the intervention included library visits, reading, writing and listening games, maths games, drawing, animal animation, leaf making, ball games, parachuting games, colouring, hula-hoop and driver-car role plays. At the end of the intervention, one group of children made significant improvements in behavioural changes while no improvements were observed for another group. Although further research is required to generalize beyond the reference group, the findings suggest that a robust collaboration between inter-agency community partnership and universities can play a crucial role in responding to the needs of marginalized children with psychological and emotional problems

Migration experiences, employment status and psychological distress among Somali immigrants: a mixed-method international study

Background: The discourse about mental health problems among migrants and refugees tends to focus on adverse pre-migration experiences; there is less investigation of the environmental conditions in which refugee migrants live, and the contrasts between these situations in different countries. This cross-national study of two samples of Somali refugees living in London (UK) and Minneapolis, Minnesota, (USA) helps to fill a gap in the literature, and is unusual in being able to compare information collected in the same way in two cities in different countries. Methods: There were two parts to the study, focus groups to gather in-depth qualitative data and a survey of health status and quantifiable demographic and material factors. Three of the focus groups involved nineteen Somali professionals and five groups included twenty-eight lay Somalis who were living in London and Minneapolis. The quantitative survey was done with 189 Somali respondents, also living in London and Minneapolis. We used the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) to assess ICD-10 and Results: The overall qualitative and quantitative results suggested that challenges to masculinity, thwarted aspirations, devalued refugee identity, unemployment, legal uncertainties and longer duration of stay in the host country account for poor psychological well-being and psychiatric disorders among this group. Conclusion: The use of a mixed-methods approach in this international study was essential since the quantitative and qualitative data provide different layers and depth of meaning and complement each other to provide a fuller picture of complex and multi-faceted life situations of refugees and asylum seekers. The comparison between the UK and US suggests that greater flexibility of access to labour markets for this refugee group might help to promote opportunities for better integration and mental well-being

Is Violent Radicalisation Associated with Poverty, Migration, Poor Self-Reported Health and Common Mental Disorders?

BACKGROUND: Doctors, lawyers and criminal justice agencies need methods to assess vulnerability to violent radicalization. In synergy, public health interventions aim to prevent the emergence of risk behaviours as well as prevent and treat new illness events. This paper describes a new method of assessing vulnerability to violent radicalization, and then investigates the role of previously reported causes, including poor self-reported health, anxiety and depression, adverse life events, poverty, and migration and socio-political factors. The aim is to identify foci for preventive intervention. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of a representative population sample of men and women aged 18-45, of Muslim heritage and recruited by quota sampling by age, gender, working status, in two English cities. The main outcomes include self-reported health, symptoms of anxiety and depression (common mental disorders), and vulnerability to violent radicalization assessed by sympathies for violent protest and terrorist acts. RESULTS: 2.4% of people showed some sympathy for violent protest and terrorist acts. Sympathy was more likely to be articulated by the under 20s, those in full time education rather than employment, those born in the UK, those speaking English at home, and high earners (>£75,000 a year). People with poor self-reported health were less likely to show sympathies for violent protest and terrorism. Anxiety and depressive symptoms, adverse life events and socio-political attitudes showed no associations. CONCLUSIONS: Sympathies for violent protest and terrorism were uncommon among men and women, aged 18-45, of Muslim heritage living in two English cities. Youth, wealth, and being in education rather than employment were risk factors

Khat use in Europe: Implications for European policy

Khat leaves are cultivated in the highlands of the Horn of Africa, Southern Arabia and along the East African coast. In many countries, chewing khat is an age-old tradition. More recently, the mass migration of people from the Horn of Africa has been associated with the spread of khat usage to neighbouring countries, Europe and the rest of the world. Exact numbers of regular khat users on a worldwide scale do not exist, however estimates range up to 20 million. This paper presents the challenges associated with the spread of khat consumption

Migration characteristics, social factors, life events & psychological distress among Somali refugees : a quantitative and qualitative study

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