TY - JOUR

T1 - New approaches for mental health of social minorities

AU - Ventriglio, Antonio

AU - Castaldelli-Maia, João Mauricio

AU - Torales, Julio

AU - Чумаков, Егор Максимович

AU - De Berardis, Domenico

AU - Bhugra, Dinesh

PY - 2022/10/14

Y1 - 2022/10/14

N2 - Mental health of social minorities is a challenge of modern psychiatry. It is largely described that people reporting sexual, cultural, religious variations are exposed to an amount of social stress deriving from the contrast between their minority status and the dominant societal norms and values. Minority stress leads to higher level of psychosocial distress and mental illness among these vulnerable populations. This conceptual research paper reports on evidences regarding the mental health issues related to the minority social condition and proposes a set of actions to address these challenges in a global perspective. Specifically, political, social and educational interventions are discussed in order to contrast stigma, discrimination, promote integration and health services for vulnerable populations. Policymakers are invited to deliver adhoc policies on minorities and homeless people with specific funding to address related public mental health issues. Educational programs are encouraged in the school setting as well as in the training of health care professionals in order to improve the level of acceptance and competencies in the treatment of minorities’ health needs. We firmly believe there is no healthy society without healthy minorities.

AB - Mental health of social minorities is a challenge of modern psychiatry. It is largely described that people reporting sexual, cultural, religious variations are exposed to an amount of social stress deriving from the contrast between their minority status and the dominant societal norms and values. Minority stress leads to higher level of psychosocial distress and mental illness among these vulnerable populations. This conceptual research paper reports on evidences regarding the mental health issues related to the minority social condition and proposes a set of actions to address these challenges in a global perspective. Specifically, political, social and educational interventions are discussed in order to contrast stigma, discrimination, promote integration and health services for vulnerable populations. Policymakers are invited to deliver adhoc policies on minorities and homeless people with specific funding to address related public mental health issues. Educational programs are encouraged in the school setting as well as in the training of health care professionals in order to improve the level of acceptance and competencies in the treatment of minorities’ health needs. We firmly believe there is no healthy society without healthy minorities.

KW - LGBTQI +

KW - Social minorities

KW - cultural minorities

KW - discrimination

KW - homeless

KW - housing

KW - mental health

KW - migration

KW - minority stress

KW - religion

KW - sexual minorities

KW - stigma

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85140051831&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/b43a160f-be28-36ca-91b7-ccb9c8eb9563/

U2 - 10.1080/09540261.2022.2133993

DO - 10.1080/09540261.2022.2133993

M3 - Article

JO - International Review of Psychiatry

JF - International Review of Psychiatry

SN - 0954-0261

ER -