Chapter 9: Culture, Ethnicity, and Mental Health Flashcards
What is race?
it is a continuum that we cannot discretely categorize
people who share physical characterisitcs –> “genome”
What is racism?
attidudes, behaviours among a population where social groups are identified, seperated , and treated as inferior or superior
- given differential access to power and other valued resources
Do victims of racism experience profound mental health problems?
yes
What is ethnicity?
common history, language and set of rituals shared by a group of people
creates a common identity
linked to national origin or religious histories –> “geographic”
What is culture?
a common heritage or set of beliefs, norms and values that have been learned and adopted by a group of people
What is acculturation?
gradual adoption of elements of the dominant culture and society by minority groups
ex: immigrants from china adopt canadian culture
do younger or older people acculturate faster?
younger
What is known as the “healthy immigrant effect”?
shows that immigrants have better health status than the general population born in a country
this is because of strict immigration policies and the screeening out of people with illnesses
What is a refugee?
person who is forced to leave their country for fear of persecution or war or violence
well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.
Do many refugees suffer mental health problems due to the experiences before arriving in canada?
yes
are immigrants of ethnic minority groups more or less likely to recieve mental health treatment in canada? Why (x4)?
- LEss-likely
Because…
- language barriers
- fear or feeling of shame about mental illness label
- mistrust of officials because of past experiences
- unfamiliarity with health care system
What are “idioms of distress”?
people of different ethnocultural backgrounds have particular ways of experiencing, expressing, and coping with emotional distress
What are “culture-bound syndromes”?
considered recognizable disease only within a specific society or culture
sometimes a result of misinterpretations or misperceptions of observers outside the culture
Did Canada’s aboriginal people undergo forced colonization?
yes
Did aboriginal people undergo forced assimilation to the dominant society of canada? if so, what statement was put out in 1998 to recognize what we had done?
yes
called “statement of reconciliation”
What were residential schools in Canada?
where aboriginal childern were removed from their families and required to live in residence at school run by religious organizations
What was the goal of residential schools in Canada
to “civilize” these children
What did aboriginal people lose when they went to residential schools?
- loss of traditional language
were children abused in residential schools?
yes
How long did residential schools last?
for approx. 100 years
What 3 mental health problems are of high concern in aboriginal people in canada?
- depression
- alcohol and substance use
- high suicide rates
Did children who were in residential schools lack family nurturance?
yes
Is it important to ensure canadian health care workers are culturally competent, responsive, and respectful of interactions with indigenous peoples?
yes
what is cultural safety?
emphasizes the vulnerability of individuals recieiving treatment in a health care system run by a dominant or colonizing culture
bringing about respect and making individuals feel safe in our health care systems
What is decolonization?
process where a colonized group of people reclaim their traditional culture, redefine themselves as people and reassert their distinct identity
process for decolonization is on slide 18
