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Mental Health of Chinese in Canada

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Mental Health in China and the Chinese Diaspora: Historical and Cultural Perspectives

Part of the book series: International and Cultural Psychology ((ICUP))

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Abstract

This chapter reviews the mental health of Chinese in Canada. Following an introduction to the historical and social contexts of Chinese immigrants in Canada, this chapter focuses on two major issues: the epidemiology and determinants of Chinese immigrants’ mental health, and Chinese immigrants’ utilization of mental health services. First, regarding epidemiology, Chinese immigrants overall report fewer occurances of mental problems than most other ethnic groups in Canada, and the determinants of their mental health center around resettlement issues including financial security, social relations, and acculturation. Each subgroup faces its own challenges: Females and elders have higher rates of depression; children’s mental health is highly dependent on the family; and youths face the task of dealing with discrimination and ethnic/cultural identity. Next, this chapter suggests that Chinese immigrants are less likely to use mental health services due to a variety of reasons. They may understand mental illness from a spiritual or cultural perspective and, accordingly, deal with it through self-regulation or traditional Chinese medicine. The stigmatization of mental illness in Chinese culture, as well as Chinese immigrants’ limited mental health literacy, low English proficiency, and lack of knowledge about Canadian health-care system are all barriers to accessing mental health services. At the end, this chapter reviews the current status of scholarly research on the mental health of Chinese immigrants in Canada and offers several suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada

    Zhipeng Gao

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  1. Zhipeng Gao
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia

    Harry Minas

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Gao, Z. (2021). Mental Health of Chinese in Canada. In: Minas, H. (eds) Mental Health in China and the Chinese Diaspora: Historical and Cultural Perspectives. International and Cultural Psychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65161-9_15

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