Volume 8 • 2021 • Issue 6

CDSPI is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to provide a broad and meaningful range of customized financial solutions to the dental community, covering every facet of their lives. A person’s gender can also have more significance in certain cultures than in wider society, and can be a key factor in the likelihood of a diagnosis of a mental health condition. Negative attitudes within and among different cultures and ethnic groups Cultural, racial, or ethnic backgrounds have been found to be a factor in the perceptions of mental illness. The following negative attitudes or stigmas have been found to exist within specific cultures and ethnic groups: • Rating of people with a mental illness from a particular racial/ethnic group as more dangerous compared to the ratings of another racial/ethnic group. • Increased desire to be separated from an individual with mental illness. • Increased fear of treatment due to perceptions of unfair treatment in the health care setting based on race. • Reluctance to talk about mental health with health care professionals, mental health professionals, family members, or even friends. • Mental illness seen as reflecting poorly on a person’s entire family, diminishing marriage and economic prospects. Health care professionals may also have implicit racial biases towards certain populations. Medical research suggests that there may be disparities in mental health care across ethnic groups. These biases may cause practitioners to give their patients who are people of colour inferior care and, in so doing, contribute to higher rates of mortality in those who experience severe mental illness. Making progress Anti-stigma and mental health awareness campaigns have been instrumental in reducing the shame attached to mental illness. Directing these campaigns towards specific ethnic groups may bring about increased benefits. Continuing to build a racially diverse workforce in the behavioural and mental health profession will also aid in reducing the stigma that individuals may experience in accessing services and treatment. Stigma related to mental health is a complex issue. If you or your loved ones, your staff and their families need support for a mental health concern, do not hesitate to reach out to your health care provider, a mental health professional, or the Members’ Assistance Program (MAP) sponsored by CDSPI. This information is provided by LifeWorks (formerly Morneau Shepell), the largest Canadian‑based Employee and Family Assistance provider in the country and the provider of CDSPI’s Members’ Assistance Program (MAP). We encourage you to visit the website for more information. Available services vary by region. Use of MAP services is completely confidential within the limits of the law. You can reach out to CDSPI’s Members’ Assistance Program (MAP) any time for confidential counselling and advice by calling 1.844.578.4040 . You can also visit workhealthlife.com for relevant resources and support. 40 | 2021 | Issue 6 SupportingYour Practice