Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Mental illness will affect roughly 20% of Canadians at least once in their lifetime. Although anyone can be affected, members of certain racial and cultural groups have been shown to be at greater risk. Race and culture interact with various factors to influence risk for experiencing mental health symptoms, and where and how people seek health care. Not all Canadians have equal access to adequate health services. Members of stigmatized groups have been shown to face disparities in mental health care that include lack of cultural safety, language barriers, culturally inappropriate screening services and lack of understanding regarding the importance of race and culture.Specifically focusing on Aboriginal Peoples and Peoples of African descent, this study will explore how mental health symptoms are viewed and experienced. The interaction of race and culture with socioeconomic status and other social determinants, in relation to help-seeking behaviors and preferred health care supports, will also be investigated. It is expected there will be significant variability between and within racial and cultural groups with respect to views, experiences and preferred treatments, with a substantial proportion who prefer traditional forms of healing from their culture, and/or types of approaches not currently offered in mainstream health settings. This information will contribute to a better understanding regarding the importance of considering diverse cultural beliefs and preferences of those who are dealing with acute and chronic mental health issues. It is hoped that this knowledge will guide the development of safer and more supportive services for vulnerable individuals, allowing them to actively participate in their mental health care.