Asian-American Mental Health

OutreachBrian Ahuja, Jason Cho, Stella Lai, Supriya

Mahajan, John Pham, Priya Sehgal, Alan Su, Yoko Takashima

Community Dialogue Goals & Objectives

•Goals:

• To educate the Asian-American community about the definition and perception of mental health.

• To foster dialogue about barriers to mental healthcare.

•Objectives:

• To define mental health.

• To identify symptoms and treatments of common mental health disorders.

• To list factors affecting the perception of mental health and/or accessing mental health.

• To survey participants about attitudes toward mental health.

Agenda:

1. Welcome

2. Did you know? Statistics in the Asian community

3. Identify the Problem: You be the Agent of Change

4. Close

Welcome!Please complete the pre-assessment.

What is mental health?

“The World Health Organization defines mental health as not just the absence of mental disorders,

but it is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential,

can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a

contribution to his or her community.”

“The Surgeon General says that mental health is essential to health and productivity.”

Icebreaker

TRUE OR FALSE?

Question:

Children don’t suffer from mental illnesses.

Children don’t suffer from mental illnesses.

FALSE!

Answer:

Mental illness is just a state of mind.

Question:

Mental illness is just a state of mind.

FALSE!

Answer:

Question:

The number one reason for hospital admissions

nationwide is for psychiatric disorders.

Answer:

The number one reason for hospital admissions

nationwide is for psychiatric disorders.

TRUE!

Mentally ill people can never fully recover.

Question:

Mentally ill people can never fully recover.

FALSE!

Answer:

Severe mental illness is always a result of human choices.

Question:

Severe mental illness is always a result of human choices.

FALSE!

Answer:

People with mental illnesses are very

dangerous.

Question:

People with mental illnesses are very

dangerous.

FALSE!

Answer:

One out of five families are affected by major

mental illness.

Question:

One out of five families are affected by major

mental illness.

TRUE!

Answer:

At a given time, 21% of all hospital beds are filled by people with

mental illness.

Question:

At a given time, 21% of all hospital beds are filled by

people with mental illness.

TRUE!

Answer:

Mental illness and mental retardation are the

same thing.

Question:

Mentally illness and mental retardation are

the same thing.

FALSE!

Answer:

Mental illnesses can affect anyone.

Question:

Mental illnesses can affect anyone.

TRUE!

Answer:

Utilization of Mental Health Services

by Asian Populations

“Regardless of age, gender or the specific

Asian group they belong to, Asian Americans tend

to underutilize these services.”

- Dr. Stanley Sue, a psychology professor at UC Davis and one of the authors of a January study -- financed by the National Institute of Mental Health -- on immigrants' use of mental

health services.

“We found that the prevalence of mental service use among Asian

populations was lower than that in the white participants. Among Asian participants, the Chinese participants were less likely to

have used mental health service than other Asian groups.”

- Dr. Suresh K. Tiwari & Dr. Jian Li Wang -- Ethnic Differences in Mental Health Service Use Among White, Chinese, South Asian and South East Asian Populations Living in

Canada from Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Journal

In the Chinese American Psychiatric Epidemiological Study (CAPES), participants with

and without mental disorders indicated whether or not they had sought help for problems with emotions, anxiety, drugs, alcohol, or mental

health in the past six months.

Only 17% of people experiencing problems sought care.

Less than 6% of those who did seek care saw a mental health professional; 4% saw a medical

doctor; and 8% saw a minister or priest.http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/cre/ch5_availability.asp

“The majority of Asian Americans with mental health disorders did not

use specialty mental health services.”

“The rate of mental health service use by

U.S.-born individuals was almost twice that of immigrant Asian

Americans.”

- Oanh Le Meyer, Nolan Zane, Young Il Cho & David T. Takeuchi -- Use of Specialty Mental Health Services by Asian Americans With Psychiatric Disorders in Journal of Consulting

and Clinical Psychology

ADHD(Attention Deficit Hyperactivity

Disorder)

ADHD: Definition• Definition:

• ADHD is a behavioral condition that makes focusing on everyday requests and routines challenging.

• 3 Subtypes:

• Hyperactive-impulsive: Trouble sitting still during dinner, school, and story time

• Inattentive: Difficulty focusing attention on organizing and completing a task or learning something new

• Combined hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive: Most common form of ADHD

Who does ADHD effect?• ADHD mostly affects children.

• Of children diagnosed with ADHD, approximately 25% are girls and 75% are boys.

• As much as 50% of the children diagnosed with ADHD continue to show symptoms into adulthood.

ADHD: Causes

• No Specific Causes

• Contributing Factors: Genetic, Environmental, Social

• Those affected by ADHD often show slight abnormalities in brain function and size. For example, the frontal lobe of the brain, which controls attention and activity.

ADHD: Symptoms

• Predominantly inattentive

• Makes careless mistakes in schoolwork or in other activities

• Has trouble paying attention on tasks

• Easily distracted

• Forgetful

ADHD: TreatmentNon-Medication

• Counseling

• Psychotherapy

• Behavioral Therapy

• Social Skills Training

Medication

• Stimulants

• Methylphenidate (Ritalin)

• Dextroamphetamine-amphetamine (Adderall)

• Dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine)

• Non-stimulants

• Atomoxetine (Strattera)

Major Depressive Disorder(MDD)

MDD: Definition

Serious illness that negatively affects how you feel, think, and

behave.

It includes having a depressed mood and/or loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable

activities.

MDD: Symptoms

• Changes in appetite that result in weight losses or gains unrelated to dieting

• Insomnia or oversleeping

• Loss of energy or increased fatigue

• Restlessness or irritability

• Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt

• Difficulty thinking, concentrating or making decisions

• Thoughts of suicide or attempts at suicide

MDD: Treatment

Non-Medication

• Psychotherapy

• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

• Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)

• Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

Medication

• Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs)

• Selective Setotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

(GAD)

GAD: Definition

A pattern of excessive, uncontrollable, and sometimes irrational worry and anxiety

that affects daily function.

Life stressors can contribute to this condition and it is seen in people of all

ages, including children.

Females tend to be affected more than males.

GAD: Symptoms

• Constant sense of worry and anxiety, even if there is little or no cause.

• Difficulty concentrating

• Irritability

• Sleep problems

• Restlessness

• Easily startled

• May be aware that they are overreacting and yet may still not be able to control their excessive worrying.

• Physical symptoms such as muscle pain or headaches.

• May also have a history of depression and substance abuse.

GAD: Treatment

Non-Medication

• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

• Avoidance of caffeine, illicit drugs, and some cold medicines.

• Exercise, adequate rest, and proper nutrition can reduce the negative impact of anxiety.

Medication

• Antidepressants

• Benzodiazepines

• Buspirone

Group Discussion

Asian and Pacific Islanders (A&PIs) have the lowest rates of utilization of mental health services among

all ethnic populations, according to the U.S. Surgeon General's 2001 Report on Mental Health.

Research indicates that A&PIs dramatically under-utilize mental health services -- at both the

national and local levels. According to researchers, this under-utilization does not mean that A&PI

communities have fewer mental health problems. Rather, it points to specific barriers to access and

use of mental health services.

Why?

Asian-Americans and Model Minority Myth

The model minority myth derives from the perception that Asian cultural values of hard work,

family cohesion, self-sufficiency and a drive for success propelled recent immigrants into and

beyond the American middle class within a generation or two.

• Chronicle online, Cornell University. http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/April07/modelminority.html

Discussion:How does the model minority myth affect

accessing mental health care?

THANK YOU!Please complete the post-assessment.