Exploring perspectives on how to improve psychological treatment for women from minoritised ethnic communities: A qualitative study with service users.
Laura-Louise Arundell, Rob Saunders, Phoebe Barnett, Judy Leibowitz, Joshua Ej Buckman, Stephen Pilling
{"title":"Exploring perspectives on how to improve psychological treatment for women from minoritised ethnic communities: A qualitative study with service users.","authors":"Laura-Louise Arundell, Rob Saunders, Phoebe Barnett, Judy Leibowitz, Joshua Ej Buckman, Stephen Pilling","doi":"10.1177/00207640241270800","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Women are disproportionately impacted by depression and anxiety disorders and in particular, women from minoritised ethnic communities experience inequalities in access to outcomes of psychological treatment for these disorders. Better understanding from the views of service users about the factors that impact their access to, and experiences of care could help to optimise treatment for these groups.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>This study explored experiences of treatment and gathered suggestions about treatment improvement, from the perspectives of women currently using psychological therapy services. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 female NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression (NHSTTad) service users from minoritised ethnic communities. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Four high-order themes were identified: (1) cultural identity and experiences of mental health and treatment, (2) challenges associated with treatment, (3) facilitators of good treatment experiences and outcomes and (4) improvements for women from minoritised ethnic communities.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Findings showed that cultural sensitivity and awareness are important to minoritised ethnic women receiving therapy. Challenges included access difficulties and limitations of treatment options offered, alongside personal challenges of engaging in therapy. Facilitators of good treatment experiences and outcomes included flexibility on the part of the service, as well as therapist-related factors such as identity characteristics (age, gender and culture of therapist), a good therapeutic relationship and the therapist's ability to deliver person-centred care. Improvements included ensuring care is culturally sensitive, reducing waiting times or providing better support for people on waiting lists, providing a flexible service that takes individual needs into account, increasing workforce diversity and reaching out to underserved communities. Many of the suggested improvements are generalisable to underserved minoritised ethnic groups, regardless of gender and could be applied to other psychological therapies services other than NHSTTad.</p>","PeriodicalId":14304,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Social Psychiatry","volume":" ","pages":"1481-1494"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5000,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11528932/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Social Psychiatry","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640241270800","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2024/8/22 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PSYCHIATRY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Women are disproportionately impacted by depression and anxiety disorders and in particular, women from minoritised ethnic communities experience inequalities in access to outcomes of psychological treatment for these disorders. Better understanding from the views of service users about the factors that impact their access to, and experiences of care could help to optimise treatment for these groups.
Method: This study explored experiences of treatment and gathered suggestions about treatment improvement, from the perspectives of women currently using psychological therapy services. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 female NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression (NHSTTad) service users from minoritised ethnic communities. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.
Results: Four high-order themes were identified: (1) cultural identity and experiences of mental health and treatment, (2) challenges associated with treatment, (3) facilitators of good treatment experiences and outcomes and (4) improvements for women from minoritised ethnic communities.
Conclusions: Findings showed that cultural sensitivity and awareness are important to minoritised ethnic women receiving therapy. Challenges included access difficulties and limitations of treatment options offered, alongside personal challenges of engaging in therapy. Facilitators of good treatment experiences and outcomes included flexibility on the part of the service, as well as therapist-related factors such as identity characteristics (age, gender and culture of therapist), a good therapeutic relationship and the therapist's ability to deliver person-centred care. Improvements included ensuring care is culturally sensitive, reducing waiting times or providing better support for people on waiting lists, providing a flexible service that takes individual needs into account, increasing workforce diversity and reaching out to underserved communities. Many of the suggested improvements are generalisable to underserved minoritised ethnic groups, regardless of gender and could be applied to other psychological therapies services other than NHSTTad.
期刊介绍:
The International Journal of Social Psychiatry, established in 1954, is a leading publication dedicated to the field of social psychiatry. It serves as a platform for the exchange of research findings and discussions on the influence of social, environmental, and cultural factors on mental health and well-being. The journal is particularly relevant to psychiatrists and multidisciplinary professionals globally who are interested in understanding the broader context of psychiatric disorders and their impact on individuals and communities.
Social psychiatry, as a discipline, focuses on the origins and outcomes of mental health issues within a social framework, recognizing the interplay between societal structures and individual mental health. The journal draws connections with related fields such as social anthropology, cultural psychiatry, and sociology, and is influenced by the latest developments in these areas.
The journal also places a special emphasis on fast-track publication for brief communications, ensuring that timely and significant research can be disseminated quickly. Additionally, it strives to reflect its international readership by publishing state-of-the-art reviews from various regions around the world, showcasing the diverse practices and perspectives within the psychiatric disciplines. This approach not only contributes to the scientific understanding of social psychiatry but also supports the global exchange of knowledge and best practices in mental health care.