Provided by David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D.
Surgeon General of the United States of America
Chapter 2
Overview of Cultural Diversity and Mental Health Services
Stigma
The stigma of mental illness is another factor preventing African Americans from
seeking treatment, but not at a rate significantly different from that of
whites. Both African American and white groups report that embarrassment hinders
them from seeking treatment (Sussman et al., 1987). In general, African
Americans tend to deny the threat of mental illness and strive to overcome
mental health problems through self-reliance and determination (Snowden, 1998).
Stigma, denial, and self-reliance are likely explanations why other minority
groups do not seek treatment, but their contribution has not been evaluated
empirically, owing in part to the difficulty of conducting this type of
research. One of the few studies of Asian Americans identified the barriers of
stigma, suspiciousness, and a lack of awareness about the availability of
services (Uba, 1994). Cultural factors tend to encourage the use of family,
traditional healers, and informal sources of care rather than treatment-seeking
behavior, as noted earlier.
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