Culture, Ethnicity, and Mental Illness

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Albert Gaw
American Psychiatric Press, 1993 - 640 pages
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In recent years there has been a greater recognition of how cultural concepts, values, and beliefs influence the way mental symptoms are expressed, how individuals and their families respond to mental distresses and to psychiatric diagnosis and treatment, and how mental health care is delivered community-wide.

This comprehensive, clinically oriented volume examines the expression and treatment of mental illness in the context of culture. Written by 35 international experts in the field, Culture, Ethnicity, and Mental Illness covers the areas of the clinical encounter in which culture plays a prominent role, including psychiatric epidemiology, psychotherapy, culture-bound syndromes, and psychiatric assessment.

Culture, Ethnicity, and Mental Illness provides a cultural framework in the psychiatric care of a variety of groups in the United States, including African Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Hispanics, women, elderly people, and gay men and lesbians. There is also a chapter dealing with the impact of AIDS among minorities. Eight glossaries of ethnic terms, including foreign language characters, are included.

From inside the book

 

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Page 206
Western medical practitioners may believe that “ folk treatments ” are totally
ineffective , in part because they see value only in medicine based on the
scientific method — a viewpoint that disapproves of even the majority culture ' s
folk ...
Page 226
Medicine men and women still rely on traditional conceptualizations of illness in
their diagnosis and treatment activities , but as we noted previously , little of their
beliefs and practices is known outside of their communities . Therefore , the ...
Page 243
A medicine man presides over the ceremony , and individuals can participate
only by invitation . Sweats are held for purposes of cleansing , prayer , and
healing . Traditional Medicine Medicine as practiced by medicine men and
women .

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Contents

Theoretical Considerations
3
Practical Considerations
43
CultureBound Syndromes
75
Copyright

21 other sections not shown

Other editions - View all

Culture, Ethnicity, and Mental Illness
Albert Gaw
Limited preview - 1993

Common terms and phrases

abuse African American alcohol American Indian areas Asian assessment Association behavior beliefs cause changes Chinese clinical clinician colleagues compared concept considered cross-cultural cultural depression diagnostic discussed disease disorders drug Edited effects et al ethnic example experience expression factors feelings findings groups healers health services higher Hispanic hospital human immigrants important Indian individual influence interpreter issues Japanese Japanese Americans Korean language living major means medicine mental health mental illness Mexican Americans minority noted patients person Pilipino population practice present Press prevalence problems psychiatric psychological psychopathology psychotherapy Puerto Ricans rates referred relationship reported response result role similar social society specific suggested suicide symptoms syndrome therapist therapy tion traditional treat treatment understanding United University values Western women York

References to this book

About the author (1993)

Albert C. Gaw, M.D., is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California in San Francisco, California. Dr. Gaw also serves as the Medical Director for Long Term Care at the Community Mental Health Services of the Department of Public Health for the City and County of San Francisco. He further works as the Medical Director of the San Francisco Mental Health Rehabilitation Facility of San Francisco General Hospital for the Community Health Network of San Francisco of the Department of Public Health for the City and County of San Francisco.

Bibliographic information

QR code for Culture, Ethnicity, and Mental Illness
TitleCulture, Ethnicity, and Mental Illness
EditorAlbert Gaw
Editionillustrated
PublisherAmerican Psychiatric Press, 1993
Original fromthe University of Michigan
Digitized5 Aug 2008
ISBN0880483598, 9780880483599
Length640 pages
  
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