ArticleInternational journal for equity in health2020
"Crazy person is crazy person. It doesn't differentiate": an exploration into Somali views of mental health and access to healthcare in an established UK Somali community.
Article in International journal for equity in health, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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Who cites it
26 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 50 citations in OpenAlex.
- Barriers and facilitators to seeking and accessing mental health support in primary care and the community among female migrants in Europe: a "feminisms" systematic review.International journal for equity in health · 2023Pooled it
- Understanding experiences of mental health help-seeking in Arab populations around the world: a systematic review and narrative synthesis.BMC psychiatry · 2023Pooled it
- Impact of a Virtual Reality Intervention on Stigma, Empathy, and Attitudes Toward Patients With Psychotic Disorders Among Mental Health Care Professionals: Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR mental health · 2025Trial
- Understanding Inequalities Shaping Engagement With Cultural and Green Assets to Improve Mental Health for Underserved Communities: A Qualitative Study.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2026Article
- Qualitative accounts of community health workers providing and shaping mental health support in climate-vulnerable communities in Bangladesh.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Advance directives as a care planning tool for patients with complex mental health needs: service evaluation.BJPsych bulletin · 2026Article
- Article
- Cultural psychiatry in Flanders, Belgium: an exploratory focus group study and position statement.European psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists · 2026Article
- Mental Health Beyond Conflict: Cultural and Structural Barriers to Psychiatric Care in Somalia.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2026Article
- Perceived barriers and facilitators of accessing statutory and non-statutory services, in disadvantaged communities, in England: a co-produced qualitative review.Public health reviews · 2026Review
- Exploring health inequalities by language proficiency; A routine health records study set in England.PloS one · 2026Article
- Perceptions of and access to occupational therapy services among the Somali community in the UK: cultural barriers and systemic challenges.BMC health services research · 2025Article
- Beyond Individual Coping: The Role of Social Capital in Community-Based Mental Health Support for Displaced Somali Youth.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Recruiting participants for focus groups in health research: a meta-research study.BMC medical research methodology · 2025Article
- Barriers and facilitators to implementation of a community wellbeing service for black, Asian and minoritised young people.NIHR open research · 2025Article
- Identifying risks in dementia care: Insights from a qualitative study with clinical pharmacists.PloS one · 2025Article
- People from ethnic minorities seeking help for long COVID: a qualitative study.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2024Article
- Mental health problems in Somalia after decades of humanitarian crises: a qualitative exploration of perceptions and experiences.Tropical medicine and health · 2024Article
- Comparing healthcare needs by language: interpreted Arabic and Somali telehealth calls in two regions of Sweden, 2014-18.European journal of public health · 2024Article
- Psychosis Associated With Hyperglycemia in a Female Patient With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Case Report.Cureus · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundMental health conditions have been shown to disproportionately affect those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities. Somali communities globally have relatively high levels of mental illness, but low levels of mental health service use, with numerous barriers to care identified. This study was conducted in an established UK Somali community in the South West of England and aimed to explore community beliefs and views about the causes of mental illness, treatment for mental illness, and access to medical services in general. Participants were asked about how mental health and illness are understood and conceptualised, along with the cultural meaning of mental illness and its manifestations in relation to men, women and young people.
designUsing a community-based participatory research design, in partnership with local Somali community organisations, the research team conducted four focus groups with a total of 23 participants aged over 18. Open-ended questions were used to facilitate discussion. Transcripts were analysed thematically.
resultsThe participants discussed the role of migration and associated stress from the civil war and how that could contribute to mental illness. Participants tended to view the symptoms of mental illness as physical manifestations such as headaches and to describe a strong community stigma where those with mental health conditions were viewed as "crazy" by others. Barriers to accessing healthcare included language barriers, waiting times and a mistrust of doctors. Various ideas for improvements were discussed, including ideas to reduce stigma and ideas for community initiatives.
conclusionCultural considerations and reducing stigma are vital in improving understanding of mental illness and improving access to mental health services, along with building relationships and trust between the Somali community and health care workers.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.