mh 9 + 10 - culture + medically unexplained Flashcards
(39 cards)
‘Race’
Biological basis – disputed/discredited evidence
Race science and racial hierarchies
Visible, physical differences
Often externally-classified
Distinguish between large groups of people
Highlight commonalities ‘human race’
May also be self-ascribed
Ethnicity
Social characteristics of a group
Faith/religion
Language
Traditions
Common ancestry
May share distinctive cultures
Some overlap with nationality
Culture:
Shared beliefs, values, customs, ‘norms’, attitudes, behaviours. Influences perception and interpretation of experiences by ‘in-group’ individuals and what is considered acceptable / unacceptable.
Cultural Competence:
Possessing the necessary skills or knowledge to effectively understand, appreciate and interact with people from a specific culture.
What is the focus of culturally-adapted interventions in mental health?
To make psychological therapies more accessible, acceptable, and effective for diverse cultural and ethnic populations
What does CaFI stand for?
Culturally-adapted Family Intervention
Which group was CaFI specifically developed for?
People of Sub-Saharan African and Caribbean descent with psychosis.
What is one major barrier faced by African-Caribbean people in mental health services
HIgher rates of coercive care and lack of culturally-informed psychological therapies.
What are “Family Support Members” (FSMs)?
individuals who support service users in therapy when biological families are unavailable.
What key concept is central to CaFI therapist training?
Cultural humility and awareness of racism, discrimination, and power dynamics.
How was the CaFI intervention developed
Through co-production involving service users, carers, researchers, and clinicians
What therapeutic models does CaFI integrate?
CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and BFT (Behavioral Family Therapy).
What were the reported outcomes of the CaFI feasibility study
High acceptability, improved engagement, and potential for clinical effectiveness
What delivery challenges were encountered in the CaFI pilot trial?
Recruitment issues, COVID-19 delays, and lack of NHS therapist capacity
What broader systemic changes are suggested to improve culturally-sensitive care?
Workforce training, peer support, co-production in research, and NHS structural reforms.
What policy initiatives support race equity in mental health
PCREF (Patient & Carer Race Equality Framework), NICE guidelines, and the Mental Health Act Review.
What is meant by “co-production” in research?
Collaborative approach where service users, researchers, and practitioners share power from start to finish.
What is the difference between cultural competence and cultural humility?
Cultural competence implies mastery of cultural knowledge; cultural humility emphasizes ongoing learning, respect, and partnership.
What are Medically Unexplained Symptoms (MUS)?
Physical symptoms for which no medical explanation can be found.
How common are MUS in the general population?
e.g. ask if they felt a MUS in past week
80–90% report symptoms weekly; 19–25% in primary care (GP); ~53% in secondary care.
hat makes MUS challenging within the biomedical model?
The model expects illness to be linked to disease, but MUS involve symptoms without disease.
What is somatization?
Manifestation of psychological distress as physical symptoms, often without a diagnosis
Why is the term “somatization” problematic to patients
why is medically unexplained an issue to professionals
Patients feel it delegitimizes their experience;
“medically unexplaine”d is unsatisfactory as it shows up as a result of many tests showing negative
alternative (prefered) expl of symptoms of MUS
interaction biological, psychological and (to lesser extent) social factors, help ppl to manage them
