Fear, black people and mental illness
A vicious circle
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12289331 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Frank Keating (0000-0002-5630-7437, Centre for Mental Health, corresponding author), David Robertson (0000-0002-5527-9825, Centre for Mental Health) |
| Year | 2004 |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pages | 439-447 |
| Publication date | 2004-08-19 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Health & Social Care in the Community (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0966-0410 • E-ISSN: 1365-2524 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/j.1365-2524.2004.00506.x |
| PMID | 15373823 |
| OpenAlex | W2038649484 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 42 |
| References cited | 27 |
The relationships between black communities and the mental health (MH) services are fraught. Paradoxically, black communities receive the MH services they don't want, but not the ones they do or might want. Black people mistrust and often fear services, and staff are often wary of the black community, fearing criticism, and not knowing how to respond, are fearful of black people, in particular, young black men. The situation is fuelled by prejudice, misunderstanding, misconceptions and sometimes racism. The present paper describes the findings of a study to explore the issues in greater depth. The study was premised on a belief that there are ‘circles of fear’ which lead to poorer treatment of black communities. A purposive sampling approach was used to seek out groups and individuals in whom the ‘circles of fear’ were likely to be evident. The findings suggest that there are fears which impact negatively on the interaction between black communities and MH services. Two major themes emerged in this study, i.e. the sources of fear and the consequences of fear. Sources of fear included perceptions of MH services, attitudes to mental illness and diagnosis, and experiences of hospital care. The impact of fear included limited trust, limited engagement and delayed help-seeking behaviour. The study concludes that these fears mar the interactions between these communities and MH services, affect help-seeking behaviour adversely, and lead to restrictive and punitive interventions. Progress will only be made in breaking the ‘circles of fear’ if there is a systematic change in the experience of black services users at each point in the care pathway
Mental health · Mental illness · Psychiatry · Virtuous circle and vicious circle · Historical Psychiatry and Medical Practices · Mental Health and Psychiatry · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Psychology
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Stigma and discrimination limit access to mental health care
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Finding Rhythms: Using Music to Break the Cycle of Repeated Contact With Acute Mental Health Services for Black Men
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On addressing ‘Whiteness’ during clinical psychology training
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Becoming an Immigrant? Border Harms and “British” Men with Previous Convictions in British Immigration Removal Centers
Understanding Mental Health
Exploring the Experiences of Black Men Through the Decision-Making Process in Secure Settings
Familiarity With and Social Distance From People Who Have Serious Mental Illness
Participatory research maximises community and lay involvement
Are we meeting the psychological needs of Black African HIV-positive individuals in London? Controlled study of referrals to a psychological medicine unit
Black Communities' Experience of Psychiatric Services
Public conceptions of mental illness
Fear and Everyday Urban Lives
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Conceptualizing Stigma
| Unique citing works | 42 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2,1 |
| Citation span | 2006 - 2026 (21) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 41 |