Women'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)
Goel, N. J., Thomas, B., Boutté, R. L., Kaur, B., & Mazzeo, S. E. (2023). “What will people say?”: Mental health stigmatization as a barrier to eating disorder treatment-seeking for South Asian American women. Asian American Journal of Psychology, 14(1), 96–113. https://doi.org/10.1037/aap0000271
The article "What will people say?": Mental Health Stigmatization as a Barrier to Eating Disorder Treatment-Seeking for South Asian American Women highlights how cultural stigma, family expectations, and a lack of awareness deter South Asian women from seeking help for eating disorders. Concerns about shame, community judgment, and gender roles pressure them to conceal their struggles, while practical barriers like language issues and financial constraints further hinders access to care. Internalized stigma adds to the reluctance, emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive interventions and community education to improve treatment-seeking behaviours.
Yasmin-Qureshi, S. and Ledwith, S. (2021), "Beyond the barriers: South Asian women’s experience of accessing and receiving psychological therapy in primary care", Journal of Public Mental Health, Vol. 20 No. 1, pp. 3-14. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPMH-06-2020-0058
This research conducted focus groups to assess South Asian women's experiences with culturally contextualized therapy (specifically IAPT services). Six themes were identified as major contributors to their experiences which were access, experience, cultural framework, therapist characteristics, expectations and "sticking with it". Also found that cultural/religious exclusion in traditional therapy services negatively impacts their mental health outcomes.
Davenport C, Smith L. South Asian and black women's perinatal mental health care services require careful work with families, translators and peer supporters to reduce stigma and ensure confidentiality Evidence-Based Nursing Published Online First: 09 February 2024. doi: 10.1136/ebnurs-2023-103917
Framework analysis yielded three key themes. First, healthcare professionals (HCPs) observed that South Asian and Black women often have limited recognition and knowledge about seeking help for perinatal mental illness. Second, they noted that mental health stigma within families and communities can hinder help-seeking, but leveraging community resources like interpreters and peer supporters can improve access. Third, the authors emphasized the need for increased awareness of perinatal mental health issues, expanded options, and addressing HCPs' unconscious biases when working with women from minority ethnic backgrounds.
Masood, Y., Lovell, K., Lunat, F. et al. Group psychological intervention for postnatal depression: a nested qualitative study with British South Asian women. BMC Women's Health 15, 109 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-015-0263-5
The study examined the acceptability and experience of the Positive Health Programme (PHP), a culturally adapted Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) intervention for postnatal depression among British South Asian mothers. Conducted as part of an exploratory randomized controlled trial (RCT), this nested qualitative study involved in-depth interviews with 17 participants. The results showed that participants found the intervention acceptable, leading to positive changes in attitudes, behavior, and self-confidence. These findings suggest that culturally adapted interventions like PHP are effective and satisfactory for British South Asian women, potentially improving health outcomes.