Mental Health Service Utilization of Somali Adolescents: Religion, Community, and School as Gateways to Healing

Ellis, B. Heidi; Lincoln, Alisa K.; Charney, Meredith E.; Ford-Paz, Rebecca E.; Benson, Molly A.; Strunin, Lee

doi:10.1177/1363461510379933

Cited by 152 publications

(127 citation statements)

References 38 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

122

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Despite the many documented barriers in the Somali community to accessing mental health services 3,4,11 , this study found there was a great level of enthusiasm for engaging in this evidence-based intervention once it was provided in a format that met the needs of the community. In the words of the one of the CHWs upon being trained: "It is like we have [a] locked door, and you have brought us the key.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

“…Despite the availability of effective treatments for depression, these communities face disparities in access to treatment 10 . Somali refugees experience barriers in accessing services that include distrust of authorities, stigma around mental health services, and linguistic or cultural barriers 11 . There are high levels of stigma around addressing mental health in the Somali community 3 and therefore a lack of culturally options to address such concerns 12 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Addressing the barriers that prevent the Somali community from seeking help for mental health therefore requires a multi-level response, including community engagement, embedding services into systems, creating partnerships between providers and those with cultural expertise, and integration of services 11 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Addressing Behavioral Health Disparities for Somali Immigrants Through Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Led by Community Health Workers

Pratt

Ahmed

Noor³

et al. 2015

J Immigrant Minority Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Addressing behavioral health disparities for Somali immigrants through group cognitive behavioral therapy led by community health workers. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, (doi:10.1007/s10903-015-0338-2).There may be differences between this version and the published version. You are advised to consult the publisher's version if you wish to cite from it. ABSTRACTObjectives: To test the feasibility and acceptability of implementing an evidence-based, peerdelivered mental health intervention for Somali women in Minnesota, and to assess the impact of the intervention on the mental health of those who received the training.Methods: In a feasibility study, 11 Somali female community health workers were trained to deliver an 8-session cognitive behavioral therapy intervention. Each of the trainers recruited 5 participants through community outreach, resulting in 55 participants in the intervention. Selfassessed measures of mood were collected from study participants throughout the intervention, and focus groups were conducted.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Addressing Behavioral Health Disparities for Somali Immigrants Through Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Led by Community Health Workers

Pratt

Ahmed

Noor³

et al. 2015

J Immigrant Minority Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…One article examined mental health service use among Somali immigrant adolescents and found that only 8% of the sample reported that they sought help from formal service providers for mental health issues (49). Another study found that 11% of Caribbean immigrants with a psychiatric diagnosis used any mental health services (versus 47% of U.S.-born Caribbeans) (34).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mental Health Service Use Among Immigrants in the United States: A Systematic Review

Derr¹

2016

330

249

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objective Immigrants face stressors unique to the experience of migration that may exacerbate or cause mental health problems but access care at rates far below the general population, leaving them at risk of untreated mental health conditions. This review synthesizes current findings on mental health service utilization among immigrants to inform future research efforts addressing disparities in access to care. Methods A systematic literature search of seven databases yielded 62 articles that met inclusion criteria: peer-reviewed reports of empirical studies based in the United States with an explicit focus on immigrant mental health service use. Each article was evaluated, and information was extracted by using a structured abstracting form. Results Studies have shown that immigrants from Asia, Latin America, and Africa use mental health services at lower rates than nonimmigrants, despite an equal or greater need. Lower usage has been found to be more pronounced among men, the uninsured, and the undocumented. Structural barriers to service use reported included lack of insurance, high cost, and language barriers. Studies have shown that social support is particularly important for immigrants and that those who seek help for mental health concerns tend to turn first to family, friends, or religious leaders. Conclusions Important areas for future research on disparities in mental health service use among immigrants include expanding research and analytic design to emphasize understudied groups and the heterogeneity of immigrant experiences over time, studying interventions that foster collaboration between formal and informal service sectors, and examining the role of social support in problem recognition and treatment initiation.

show abstract

“…Refugee and immigrant children access services less than nonimmigrant children (Huang, Yu, & Ledsky, 2006;Munroe-Blum, Boyle, Offord, & Kates, 1989). An estimated 92% of immigrants and refugees deemed in need of mental health services never receive them (Birman et al, 2005;Ellis et al, 2010;Kataoka et al, 2002). Poor access to services is likely the result of multiple barriers.…”

mentioning

confidence: 98%

New Directions in Refugee Youth Mental Health Services: Overcoming Barriers to Engagement

Ellis

Miller

Baldwin

et al. 2011

Journ Child Adol Trauma

173

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mental health outcomes in refugee youth are diverse, ranging from prolonged difficulties to resiliency. Refugee communities rarely access services, even for those youth who are in need. Barriers include (a) distrust of authority and/or systems, (b) stigma of mental health services, (c) linguistic and cultural barriers, and (d) primacy and prioritization of resettlement stressors. Mental health promotion among refugee youth requires an integrated response to these barriers. This article includes a description of how the previously mentioned barriers may prevent refugee youth from receiving mental health services; approaches to addressing them; and a detailed description of Supporting the Health of Immigrant Families and Adolescents (Project SHIFA), a program developed in collaboration with the Somali community in Boston,Massachusetts.

show abstract

Mental Health Service Utilization of Somali Adolescents: Religion, Community, and School as Gateways to Healing

Cited by 152 publications

References 38 publications

Addressing Behavioral Health Disparities for Somali Immigrants Through Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Led by Community Health Workers

Addressing Behavioral Health Disparities for Somali Immigrants Through Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Led by Community Health Workers

Mental Health Service Use Among Immigrants in the United States: A Systematic Review

New Directions in Refugee Youth Mental Health Services: Overcoming Barriers to Engagement

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About