Ethnic minority community patients and the Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care initiative.
OBJECTIVE
To compare general practitioners registered under the Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care initiative (BOiMHC) and those not registered, in addressing mental disorders in members of ethnic minority communities (EMCs).


METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 597 Melbourne metropolitan general practitioners, leading to 311 meeting criteria for having seen EMC patients with a mental disorder in the last 3 months. Comparisons were made between those registered (n = 61) and those not registered (n = 205) within the BOiMHC on measures of difficulties in: accessing bilingual allied health, accessing interpreters, accessing translated materials, patient compliance, accessing guidelines for working effectively with interpreters, accessing guidelines on cultural and migration factors affecting mental health.


RESULTS
Significantly less of those registered in the BOiMHC endorsed problems of access to bilingual allied health, interpreters and translated materials compared with those not registered. No differences between groups were observed in relation to access to guidelines and patient compliance. Those registered with the BOiMHC reported significantly less problems than those not registered. The most prevalent problems of the full sample included lack of access to bilingual allied health (70%), access to translated materials (58%) and low EMC patient compliance with mental health assessment and treatment (64%).


CONCLUSIONS
Possible impacts of the BOiMHC appear to be modest in relation to EMC patients with mental disorders. The BOiMHC may require additional strategies for its application to EMCs, especially for patient engagement in mental health assessment and treatment. There is a need for a more comprehensive evaluation of EMC issues within the BOiMHC.
Klimidis
Steven
S
Centre for International Mental Health, School of Population Health, The University of Melbourne and Victorian Transcultural Psychiatry, St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia. s.klimidis@unimelb.edu.au
Minas
Harry
H
Kokanovic
Renata
R
D016390:Allied Health Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019303:Multilingualism; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014175:Translating; D014739:Victoria