ReviewJournal of racial and ethnic health disparities2026
A Literature Review of Mental Health Perceptions and Help-Seeking Behavior in Somali Communities in Western Europe.
Review in Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
aimThis qualitative literature review examines Somali perceptions of mental health and illness in Western Europe, focusing on how cultural, religious, and biomedical frameworks intersect to shape experiences and help-seeking behaviors.
methodUsing a narrative literature review, we analyzed 11 qualitative studies from Scandinavia and Western Europe.
resultsFindings indicate that Somalis communities understand mental health primarily through cultural and religious perspectives. The relationship with God is considered crucial, while recognizing external factors such as war and migration that can affect mental health. Somalis conceptualize mental health along a continuum, often using culturally specific idioms of distress rather than biomedical diagnoses. Shame, stigma, and fear of discrimination within and outside Somali communities present significant barriers to seeking mental health care. Additionally, the challenges of migration, acculturation, and cultural differences with healthcare systems further complicate access to support. DISCUSSION: The discussion emphasizes the importance of cross-cultural competence in clinical care and identifies gaps in research, particularly regarding second-generation Somali immigrants and their evolving mental health narratives. Additionally, there is a need for qualitative data to better understand the perceptions and experiences of young second-generation Danish-Norwegian-Somali individuals regarding worries of the mind and their approaches to seeking help.
conclusionFuture studies should explore how generational differences influence mental health perceptions and help-seeking behaviors. Future studies must address these gaps to inform culturally responsive interventions for Somali communities in Europe.
Indexed as
Identifiers
42056654What OpenQuestion holds
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.