Mental Health Disparities – Focus on Asian Americans

By Felicia Wong, M.D.

The Office of Minority and National Affairs (OMNA) is a group within the American Psychiatric Association that works to promote diversity and cultural competence and to eliminate disparities in mental health care. They published a report on Asian Americans and Mental Health that revealed some troubling statistics.











photo courtesy Bjoern Kommerell








• While the overall prevalence rate of mental illness is similar or somewhat lower among Asian Americans than whites, Asian Americans are significantly less likely to use mental health services than other populations.


• Asian Americans are much less likely than whites to report mental health problems to friends or relatives, psychiatrists or other mental health specialists, or to physicians. It has been postulated that shame and stigma figure prominently in the lower utilization rates of Asian American/Pacific Islander (AA/PI) communities.


• AA/PI’s often consider expression of mental illness a personal weakness and are more likely than Westerners to express emotional distress through physical symptoms.


• The suicide rates of elderly Asian American women and young Asian American women (15‐24 years old) are significantly higher than that of other women of the same ages.

In an attempt to address the barriers to mental health care that pertain to the Asian American community, I created a website http://www.asianmentalwellness.com/ which I hope will dispel some of the misconceptions that the AA/PI community may have about mental health, and will provide information and links that will help raise awareness about the importance of mental health and wellness. Please share this website with those who you feel might find it useful.

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Posted in: Asian American,Felicia Wong MD,stigma,suicide prevention

Getting Help: How to Start the Conversation and Find Professional Services

By Felicia Wong, M.D.

Many people don’t seek mental health care when they need it. This is particularly true for members of ethnic minorities, for whom physical illness is often considered more culturally acceptable than mental illness. Research has shown, for example, that Asian Americans are three times less likely than members of other ethnic groups to seek mental health services. This has more to do with lack of appropriate services, and barriers to services—including stigma, language and cultural differences—rather than the lack of need for services.

The important thing to remember is that with proper treatment, most symptoms of mental illness can be controlled. If the possibility of mental illness is a concern for you or someone you care about, please recognize there is no shame in seeking treatment and/or help.

Over the years, many people have asked me how to get help for themselves, a family member or a friend who is suffering. Navigating the mental health system is not easy, and the stigma and shame associated with mental illness make it even more difficult. Where someone may find it easy to ask a friend to recommend a family doctor or a dentist, people sometimes hesitate to ask about psychiatrists or therapists due to fears of being judged, or perhaps appearing "emotionally weak".

There are many places to go for help. A good place to start is by asking your family doctor or primary care doctor. In a crisis, emergency rooms can provide temporary relief for you or a loved one, and emergency room personnel may be able to guide you to further help.

Other potential resources include:

• mental health specialists such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers or mental health counselors;


• community mental health centers;


• hospital psychiatry departments, outpatient clinics and/or inpatient units;


• family services, social agencies, or clergy;


• peer support groups;


• private clinics and facilities;


• employee assistance program; or


• the phone book or web - search "mental health," "health," "social services," "hotlines," or "physicians" for phone numbers and addresses.

For more information on how to find and choose a psychiatrist and what to expect in treatment, read about Choosing a Psychiatrist on Healthyminds.org,

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Posted in: Asian American,family,Felicia Wong MD,getting help,mental illness,minority mental health,psychiatrist,stigma,treatment