Senior's Mental Health
Disclaimer
The annotations provided on this website are intended for informational and educational purposes only. They are written by SAHA's Health Policy Analyst, who are non-professionals and not scholars or experts in the field of South Asian health. While we strive to ensure the accuracy of the information interpreted and presented, these annotations should not be considered professional or academic interpretations. Readers are encouraged to refer to the original scholarly articles linked for comprehensive and authoritative insights. The inclusion of any article does not imply endorsement or validation of the content or its authors by the South Asian Health Alliance (SAHA)
Sadavoy J, Meier R, Ong AYM. Barriers to Access to Mental Health Services for Ethnic Seniors: The Toronto Study. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 2004;49(3):192-199. doi:10.1177/070674370404900307
The barriers that ethnoracial seniors face in accessing mental health services were invesigated in this study. Collaborating with seniors, families, and service providers in Toronto's Chinese and Tamil communities, 17 focus groups were conducted. This revealed shortages of trained mental health workers, low awareness of mental health issues, systemic barriers, family support disruption, stigma, and inadequate integrated services. Recommendations moving forward includes diversifying mental health workers, enhancing frontline agency training, community education to combat stigma, and flexible services tailored to ethnic groups and seniors.
Lai, D.W.L., Surood, S. Predictors of Depression in Aging South Asian Canadians. J Cross Cult Gerontol 23, 57–75 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-007-9051-5
Telephone surveys were conducted with individuals aged 55 and above for South Asian Canadians. Results showed that over 1 in 5 participants reported mild depression. Physical health and cultural values were key factors, with females more prone to depression due to traditional gender roles and coping styles. Health conditions significantly impacted depression. Strong devotion to South Asian cultural values correlated with higher depression due to potentional cultural adjustment issues. Importance of culturally sensitive healthcare is reccomended, using validated screening tools and training providers in cultural health beliefs. Addressing stigma and enhancing support networks, especially for women, are key.
Ali SH, Islam T, Pillai S, et al. Loneliness and mental health outcomes among South Asian older adult immigrants in the United States a cross-sectional study Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2021; 36(9): 1423–1435. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.5549
Out of 682 South Asian senior immigrants in NYC they found 9.4% had mild or moderate depression, with higher rates among Caribbean-origin, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Indian groups. Nearly 30% felt lonely, and 39.1% had emotional distress. Tailored mental health interventions are needed, particularly for those with poor self-rated health and Indo-Caribbeans.
Hossen, A. Social Isolation and Loneliness among Elderly Immigrants: The Case of South Asian Elderly Living in Canada. Journal of International Social Issues. 2012; 1(1): 1-10. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Social-Isolation-and-Loneliness-among-Elderly-The-Hossen/e2a5033854e9ae11a7866b928c0f9c18f1323e3a#citing-papers
Scoping review aiming to map the types of leisure and recreation (LRA) activities that seniors engage, especially after the pandemic. Found that young-old (60–69 years) and middle-old (70–79 years) mainly used online LRA and older-old adults (80–89 years) engaged in more physical LRA. Highlights need for more interventions that encourage social connectedness and mental health support.