A qualitative study of barriers to mental health services utilisation among migrants from mainland China in south-east Sydney.
BACKGROUND
Chinese-language speakers comprise the largest non-English speaking population in Australia but they have among the lowest rates of mental health services utilisation.


METHODS
A bilingual (Mandarin/English) researcher conducted in-depth interviews with China-born mental health patients and members of the general community, and mental health service providers.


CONCLUSIONS
Participants identified several factors that limit access to mental healthcare as well as the quality of care received: mental health literacy, communication difficulties, stigma, confidentiality concerns, service constraints and discrimination. Cross-cultural communication was not just a matter of hearing individual words but also appreciating idioms and cultural and social references.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings have implications for the prevention and treatment of mental disorders among migrants from China, and caution against assuming heterogeneity within ethnic groups. Mental health services must become more culturally competent in their attempts to engage the target group and to deliver both acute and continuing care.
Blignault
Ilse
I
School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. i.blignault@unsw.edu.au
Ponzio
Vince
V
Rong
Ye
Y
Eisenbruch
Maurice
M
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001315:Australia; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014171:Transients and Migrants / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*