Stigma, culture, and mental health help-seeking among Black African immigrants in the United States: an integrative literature review.

Abstract

Stigma surrounding mental health continues to be a significant obstacle to seeking help and using services among Black African immigrant communities in the United States. Despite rapid population growth, Black African immigrants are frequently grouped with African Americans or omitted from mental health research, obscuring culturally specific experiences and needs. This integrative literature review synthesizes peer-reviewed research published between 2012 and 2025 to examine how stigma shapes mental health perceptions, help-seeking behaviors, and access to care among Black African immigrants. A systematic search was conducted across five databases: PsycINFO, APA PsycNET, PubMed, Infokat UKY, and Google Scholar. Of the 72 screened articles, only 22 met the inclusion criteria. The selected studies included qualitative, quantitative, integrative/scoping, conceptual/theoretical, and reports articles. Using an integrative synthesis approach, three main themes emerged: the cultural and spiritual understandings of mental illness; the influence of family and community norms on help-seeking behaviors; and structural and migration-related barriers in U.S. healthcare systems. Guided by Afrocentric and intersectionality frameworks, the review shows how stigma manifests at individual, interpersonal, and systemic levels, reinforced by religiosity, community expectations, immigration stressors, and structural racism. Across the studies, stigma consistently shaped perceptions of mental illness, delayed help-seeking, and reduced engagement with formal services. The findings underscore the importance of culturally responsive, community-based, and anti-racist social work and mental health interventions tailored to the varied experiences of Black African immigrants.