title: Historical reflections on mental health care in Sweden: the welfare state and cultural diversity.
abstract: This article discusses historical reflections on the response of Swedish mental health care to cultural diversity and immigration and our views regarding future directions for clinical care, research and training. Sweden has become increasingly multicultural through immigration. Mental health care in Sweden faces the challenges of encountering cultural diversity and the mental health consequences of forced immigration, acculturation, and refugee trauma. In our view, Swedish mental health care is at a crossroads: either it takes up the challenge raised by immigration of an increasing cultural diversity or it satisfies itself with rhetoric, thus leaving reality at the margins. Equity regarding access to mental health care in Sweden today must include an acceptance of, and interest for, the diversity of the population.
authors.affiliation: Transcultural Centre, Stockholm County Council, St. Göran's Hospital, Sweden. sofie.baarnhielm@sll.se
authors.forename: Sofie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bäärnhielm
authors.forename: Solvig
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ekblad
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ekberg
authors.forename: Bengt Erik
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Ginsburg
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000266:history; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000266:history*; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology; D012946:Social Welfare / Q000266:history*; D013548:Sweden