1Associate Professor, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Tezpur Medical College, Tezpur, Assam, India
2Assistant Professor of Physiology, Tezpur Medical College, Tezpur, Assam, India
3Prof. of Physiology, Silchar Medical College, Silchar
4Demonstrator of Anatomy, Gauhati Medical College, Guwahati, Assam
*Corresponding Author: Mahanta Putul Associate Professor, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Tezpur Medical College, Tezpur, Assam, India Mobile: +919435017802 E-mail: drpmahanta@gmail.com
Online published on 21 July, 2018.
Mental illnesses alter a person's mood, behaviour and thinking. It is estimated that the global burden of mental illness accounts for 32·4% of years lived with disability (YLDs) and 13·0% of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). Mental health is understood differently and the various mental afflictions are interpreted differently in different cultures.
This review article tries to bring out the attitudes and understanding towards mental health considering the opinions, treatment-seeking behaviour, racism and stigma across different cultures with special emphasis on racial and ethnic minorities.
People of different cultures have a varied understanding about the cause of mental illnesses. consequently, the treatment seeking behaviour considerably varies. The ethnic and racial minorities may resort to treatment at a very later stage of illness, reluctance arising out of stigma attached to mental illnesses.
It is imperative that the stakeholders should have a thorough knowledge so that a customised health care option is provided for maximum benefits.
Attitude, Understanding, Mental illness, Stigma
