Ethnicity and patterns of help-seeking

Abstract

This study reconstructs and analyzes pathways of help-seeking traveled by severely disabled mental patients in the community. Ethnicity is a prime factor in differentiating patterns of help-seeking in that Chinese patients are kept for prolonged periods of time within their families in the beginning of pathways, while Anglo-Saxons and Middle Europeans are referred by their families or themselves to multiple social and mental health agencies. Native Indians are referred by persons other than family members or themselves between social and legal agencies in the community. Eventually all of these pathways lead to psychiatric inpatient intervention. There are major impediments to treatment in these patterns, most notably isolation and deterioration of patients within confines of families or lack of coordination of agencies in the community. Recommendations aimed at the improvement of treatment in the community are presented in light of these findings.