Exploring the Influence of Cultural Factors on Psychiatric Diagnoses

This essay examines the significant influence of cultural factors on the validity of psychiatric diagnoses. It highlights how cultural differences in expressing and reporting symptoms, access to social support, and attitudes toward mental illness impact the diagnostic process. The essay discusses the role of both patient and healthcare professional cultures, emphasizing how cultural misunderstandings and biases can hinder access to adequate mental health care, particularly for minority groups. It references studies by Xerfan (2013), Helman (2007), Clarke (2010), van Nieuw Amerongen-Meeuse et al. (2018), and Frederick (2015) to support its arguments, illustrating how societal and cultural contexts shape mental health services and influence patient preferences for care. The essay emphasizes the need to consider cultural contexts to ensure accurate and equitable psychiatric diagnoses and treatment.

Which of the following may have an influence on the diagnostician and affect
the validity of psychiatric diagnoses: cultural factors, social factors, moral
factors and political pressures
It is a fact that all four factors, cultural, social, moral and political are important in
influencing the validity of diagnoses of psychiatric patients. Social factors are most important. In
this essay, some cultural factors are discussed.
. There may be differences in approach to the way people express and report their symptoms.
Often, culture is related to the question of whether people need help, what kind of help they
require, what types of social support they have, and how much stigma is attributed to mental
illness. Consumers of psychosocial services, whose cultures vary within and between groups
contribute this diverseness to the service environment. (Xerfan, 2013)
The cultures of healthcare professionals also influence the clinical equation. These cultures
play a major role at the time of interactions with the mental health patients through diagnosis,
treatment, organization and arranging finance for the services. According to Helman (2007), the
role of COPC is to assess the specific health issues of a given community and raise awareness of
the role of cultural belief and behaviour in their health care and act as their advocate to the
medical and other authorities where necessary. There is another dimension of culture when it is
referred to as. a set of common beliefs and values among ordinary social groups defining a
different culture (for example, teenagers who participate in the same sport, or adults who are
trained in the same profession).
It becomes clear that cultural contexts influence the mental health services for minorities.
Cultural misunderstandings between patients and health professionals, partiality and the
disintegration of mental services prevent minorities from gaining and using access to adequate
care. These prejudices, whether intentional or unintentional, can affect health care. (Clarke,
2010)
Every society influences the treatment of mental health by its contribution to the healthcare
industry. Mental health services are offered by different type of physicians in a variety of
environments, referred to as settings and sectors. Consumers choose a unit according to their
comfort. The preference may be influenced by cost, reimbursement or availability of services.
But the main reason can be mental comfort. A minority group patient may prefer psychiatrists of
a similar breed, but this may not always be possible. (van Nieuw Amerongen-Meeuse, Schaap-
Jonker, Schuhmann, Anbeek & Braam, 2018) However, there has been tremendous growth in
this sector over the past two decades, and several health professionals are now represented in the
sector. The reason for this is that different cultural movements around the world have created a
new kind of society in which the importance of groups, races or religions as subjects of bias and
discrimination have reduced significantly. (Frederick, 2015)

References
Clarke, J. (2010). Body and soul in mental health care. Mental Health, Religion &
Culture, 13(6), 649-657. doi: 10.1080/13674676.2010.488416
Frederick, T. (2015). Forgiveness and mental health practice. Mental Health, Religion &
Culture, 18(5), 418-424. doi: 10.1080/13674676.2015.1077210
Helman, C. (2007). Culture, Health and Illness. Boca Raton: CRC Press.
van Nieuw Amerongen-Meeuse, J., Schaap-Jonker, H., Schuhmann, C., Anbeek, C., & Braam,
A. (2018). The “religiosity gap” in a clinical setting: experiences of mental health care
consumers and professionals. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 21(7), 737-752. doi:
10.1080/13674676.2018.1553029
Xerfan, J. (2013). Elements of culture and mental health: critical questions for
clinicians. International Journal Of Culture And Mental Health, 7(4), 467-468. doi:
10.1080/17542863.2013.787192
.