Mental Health and the Asian Communities: A Local Survey

Correspondence to Barbara Hatfield, Lecturer in Psychiatric Social work, Department of Psychiatry, 12th Floor, Mathematics Building, Manchester University, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL Summary The survey of people from the Asian communities in ‘Milltown’included people who used mental health services, family membersof service users, and members of the Asian general public. Personaland social stresses of the group were explored, as were theirperceptions of the ‘causes’ of mental ill-healthand appropriate responses. Although most people saw family andsocial stress as central, a religious dimension was also prominent,in terms both of causes and treatment of mental ill-health.There was no evidence of rejection of mainstream services becauseof a choice on the part of Asian families or communities tobe self-servicing. A range of issues identified by respondentssurrounded the cultural acceptability of services in ‘Milltown’to Asian people. A lack of knowledge of service availabilitywas also apparent, with a heavy reliance upon GP services formental health care in the community. The findings of the surveyare compared with similar studies, where available, which focuson indigenous white British service users. Some findings arecommon; other issues are specific to this Asian group.     

Accommodation and Employment: A Survey into the Circumstances and Expressed Needs of Users of Mental Health Services in a Northern Town

Correspondence to Barbara Hatfield, Mental Health Social Work Research and Staff Development Unit, University of Manchester, Department of Psychiatry, Mathematics, Tower, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL. Summary A sample of 120 mental health service users in a Northern Townwas interviewed about satisfactions and expressed needs in arange of life domains. Most of the 120 users were male, in theolder age ranges, and not in current partnerships. Most hadservere and long-term conditions. Living situations includedhospital wards, hostels, a group home, living with family orfriends, and living alone. The domains of accommodation andemployment are discussed in this paper. The majority of peopleexpressed themselves as ‘satisfied’ with their accommodation,although a sizeable monority were not satisfied. Lack of choiceof alternatives emerged as an underlying feature of ‘expressedsatisfaction’. A sizeable group expressed the need forhelp in obtaining employment, particularly those living in thecommunity. It is argued that for consumer choice to have a realisticmeaning, people with severe mental illnesses need the experienceof choice from more than one alternative.     

The Quality of Life of the Chronically Mentally Ill: A Comparison of Public, Private, and Voluntary Residential Provisions

Correspondence to J. P. J. Oliver, Lecturer in Psychiatric Social Work, Department of Psychiatry, University of Manchester, Rm 11.11, Mathematics Tower, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13. Summary A pilot survey was undertaken as part of a long-term investigationof the needs which people with chronic mental illness have forcommunity support. The main purpose of this preliminary exercisewas to develop relevant measures of need. particularly measureswhich give due weight to the assessments which chronic patientsmake of their own quality of life. Results have particular relevancein the light of the ‘White Paper’ on community care,Caring for People and the National Health Service and CommunityCare Act, 1990 because the survey considered patients' experienceof life in three distinct types of resettlement facility: thepublic, the private and the voluntary. While differences inregimes, the personal characteristics of residents and objectivequality of life were noted, no differences in subjective qualityof life (either in general or in specific domains of life) werenoted from one type of facility to another. These results andtheir implications are discussed.