People who belong to ethnic minorities can often face racial issues at the hands of their peers, and many of these actions include violence and hatred. They often succumb to depression and become doubly stigmatized as a result of their illness. One study conducted by the School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University has shown that often times these people, who would benefit from treatment, choose not to due to the social oppression and discrimination they face as part of their ethnic group, and also as a person with a mental illness.
Not all of the reasons for denying treatment are yet understood, and part of the problem is that the research done to discover why mental illness comes with a negative connotation has skimmed over some important details. It is suggested that the decisions people make regarding treatment depends on many variables and differ from group to group. Furthermore, the research should begin to cover a broader spectrum of stigma such as stigma amongst the public, family, and self, as well as decisions to accept, deny, or delay treatment. Health policy makers can work from these findings to target the specific complexities that come with stigma.
--Tanushree Sengupta
