The International journal of social psychiatry
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Int J Soc Psychiatry · Aug 2020
'Beyond the Floyd Narrative': Reviewing racism through the lens of social psychiatry.
The recent and unfortunate death of George Floyd in the United States (U. S.) has sparked the age-old debate and discourse on racism. The discrimination, stereotyping and othering based on skin color, ethnicity, caste, etc. have given rise to the 'social evil' of racism throughout the evolution of humankind. ⋯ This article attempts to answer some of these questions, by comprehensively evaluating racism from varied angles. It reviews theories in the genesis of racism, its biopsychosocial offshoots, the global problem statement and finally proposes 'minority stress' as a probable common pathway in mediating the vicious effects of discrimination based on race. The multi-pronged strategies possible to mitigate these effects are subsequently discussed.
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Int J Soc Psychiatry · Aug 2020
Stakeholders' perspectives about the impact of training and sensitization of traditional and spiritual healers on mental health and illness: A qualitative evaluation in Ghana.
Prayer camps and traditional healers have emerged recently as alternative sources of mental health care in Ghana. To increase their knowledge and collaboration between formal and informal mental health care providers, training and sensitization was organized for them. ⋯ There has been an increased collaboration among healers of mental illness resulting in quick recovery of patients who seek care at traditional and spiritual healers. There is also abolition of chaining and using of shackles by these healers, with increasing respect for the human rights of patients.
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Int J Soc Psychiatry · Aug 2020
ReviewPsychological health during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic outbreak.
The current ongoing pandemic outbreak of COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) has globally affected 213 countries and territories with more than 2.5 million confirmed cases and thousands of casualties. The unpredictable and uncertain COVID-19 outbreak has the potential of adversely affecting the psychological health on individual and community level. Currently all efforts are focused on the understanding of epidemiology, clinical features, mode of transmission, counteract the spread of the virus, and challenges of global health, while crucially significant mental health has been overlooked in this endeavor. ⋯ COVID-19 is leading to intense psychosocial issues and comprising mental health marking a secondary health concern all around the world. Globally implementing preventive and controlling measures, and cultivating coping and resilience are challenging factors; modified lifestyle (lockdown curfew, self-isolation, social distancing and quarantine); conspiracy theories, misinformation and disinformation about the origin, scale, signs, symptoms, transmission, prevention and treatment; global socioeconomic crisis; travel restrictions; workplace hazard control; postponement and cancellation of religious, sports, cultural and entertainment events; panic buying and hoarding; incidents of racism, xenophobia, discrimination, stigma, psychological pressure of productivity, marginalization and violence; overwhelmed medical centers and health organizations, and general impact on education, politics, socioeconomic, culture, environment and climate - are some of the risk factors to aggravate further problems.
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Int J Soc Psychiatry · Aug 2020
Levels and predictors of anxiety, depression and health anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic in Turkish society: The importance of gender.
The COVID-19 pandemic is having negative effects on societies' mental health. Both the pandemic and the measures taken to combat it can affect individuals' mental health. ⋯ The results of this cross-sectional study suggest that the groups most psychologically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic are women, individuals with previous psychiatric illness, individuals living in urban areas and those with an accompanying chronic disease. Priority might therefore be attached to these in future psychiatric planning.