Ethnic factors in mental health service utilisation among people with intellectual disability in high-income countries: systematic review.
South Asian people with ID in the UK are under-using mental health services—check your caseload and fix the gap.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Duerden et al. (2012) looked at nine UK studies. They asked if ethnic background changes how people with intellectual disability use mental health services.
They only looked at high-income countries. South Asian groups came up most often.
What they found
South Asian people with ID use mental health services less than White British people. The gap showed up in every study.
Other ethnic groups had mixed results, but the South Asian pattern was clear.
How this fits with other research
Ferguson et al. (2020) found South Asian adults with ID also have higher diabetes rates. Two different health gaps point to the same group.
Maddox et al. (2015) showed parents in Berlin feel mental health services are missing or unskilled. Duerden et al. (2012) adds that even when UK services exist, South Asian families may not reach them.
Chaplin (2004) could not pick a winner between general and specialist psychiatric care. Duerden et al. (2012) says whichever model you pick, check that it reaches every ethnic group.
Why it matters
If you serve adults with ID, run a quick equity audit. Count who gets referred, who shows up, and who stays. If South Asian families are under-represented, add outreach workers who speak the language and hold meetings at community venues. One small change can open the door.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: An emerging literature suggests that ethnic and cultural factors influence service utilisation among people with intellectual disability (ID), but this has not previously been reviewed. AIMS: To investigate possible ethnic variation in uptake of mental health services in children, adolescents and adults with ID in high-income countries. METHOD: A systematic review using main databases of studies that consider ethnic influences on mental health utilisation of people with ID. Methodological quality of studies was assessed. RESULTS: Nine studies that reached selection criteria were identified. Six studies that compared two or more ethnic groups found a variation in levels of mental health service utilisation. The most consistent finding was that South Asian children, adolescents and adults with ID in the UK had lower use of mental health services than White British comparison groups. CONCLUSION: Ethnic influences on mental health service utilisation were identified. Understanding their significance and potential negative consequences requires further investigation.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2012 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2011.01466.x