Integrating Cultural Awareness to Improve Mental Health Services in the Multi-Ethnic Community: A Systematic Literature Review

AIMS: The challenges in providing mental healthcare in an ethnically diverse society exist within the limited frameworks of psychopathologies. Ethnocultural communities suggest relative syndrome of beliefs and practices so that experiences of mental illness differ and may not fit into the concept of colonial psychiatry. This review examines the necessity to recognise these trends as social determinants in the effectiveness and accessibility of healthcare and in preventing disparities. METHODS: According to the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD), this abstract adopted the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Standards using a search strategy of major online databases. The published studies selected were based on inclusion and exclusion criteria surrounding cultural competency in clinical practice in the context of global mental health. The studies were analysed and synthesised with quality appraisal tools and reported in a narrative approach. RESULTS: The outcome from the pool of studies revealed the following common themes. Culturally informed clinical practice/transcultural psychiatry: Integrating the perspectives of the client's explanatory model with the clinician lens in a shared narrative through ethnographic principles. The cultural consultation service (CCS) recommendations increased knowledge of the specific issues of the patient's background and improved empathy and communication. The improvement of therapeutic alliance: A focus on the aspects of religiosity/spirituality on human life experiences and the implication in healing and psychotherapy for better positive clinical outcomes. The impact of psychosocial stressors: The clinician highlights the significant contributing factor to the mental distress of the patient, which may include cultural stressors, to provide tailored care and solutions within a multidisciplinary team. CONCLUSION: The research on cultural competency in the mental health setting is multifaceted. The ongoing discussion on transcultural psychiatry, integrating biomedical and traditional practices and specialised clinical formulations, can improve mental health service delivery in a global society.