International Expert on the Impact of Culture on Mental Health joins CAMH

October 9, 2007 (Toronto)- Isn’t mental illness the same for people the world over? Not at all. Appropriately, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has chosen World Mental Health Day with its theme of The Impact of Culture on Mental Health to proudly welcome the arrival of its newest senior staff member, the world-renowned expert on Transcultural psychiatry Dr. Kwame McKenzie.

“My specific interest in coming to CAMH from the UK is in meeting the challenges of a multi-cultural population,” Dr. McKenzie said today. “With Toronto soon to be over 50% non-Canadian born, mainstream mental health care is increasingly becoming cross-cultural mental health care. We all need to be capable of rising to the challenge.”

There is a growing literature that discrimination has a significant impact on mental health. Those who have been victims of discrimination have over twice the rate of depression and psychosis. They are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure and have a shorter life expectancy.

“CAMH is extremely fortunate to have attracted Dr. McKenzie, whose international success as a research scientist, public policy advisor, clinical psychiatrist, academic and BBC media commentator have combined to advance the increasingly important field of cross-cultural mental health. His specialized expertise will be extremely beneficial in helping us address the complex needs of the diverse community here,” said CAMH President and CEO Paul Garfinkel today.

Dr. McKenzie named a number of specific challenges in the field, starting with the differences in the suicide rates across minority groups.

“For instance, women from the South Asians diaspora are at high risk of suicide-- but are less likely to have the common warning signs-- and so suicide prevention is more difficult,” he said. “In the UK I developed a program of research to help determine what could be done to decrease the rates of suicide in this group.”

Effective treatment for illnesses like schizophrenia is another cross-cultural issue of concern to Dr. McKenzie. “Recent research has shown that using approaches like ‘talk therapy’ alongside drug treatment for those suffering from schizophrenia does not work as well in ethnic minorities as it does in people who are white. No-one knows why, but we have to know if we are to offer equitable care.”

Medication is another challenge: the rates of side-effects are different for different ethnic groups. “For instance, African and Caribbean groups are more likely to report serious side effects from antipsychotic medication, and those of East Asian origin more likely to report side effects from anti-depressants,” Dr. McKenzie explained.

The field of study that looks at the genetics involved in drug action and the way people from different ethnic groups’ clear drugs from their bodies is called ethno-psycho-pharmacology. “If you can understand the differences, then you can help clinicians get the right dose for the right patient, decrease the level of side effects and improve clinical outcomes.”

Some ethnic minority groups find it difficult to access treatment services like CAMH. “Ethnic differences in pathways to care reflect in part a group’s cultural ideas about what causes an illness and what should be done about it,” Dr. McKenzie explains. “If we understand the cultural impacts on seeking help, we can offer appropriate interventions.”

“I am excited to be at CAMH, where I look forward to the opportunity to use my research, the policy initiatives which flow from it and my experience in direct clinical care—all under the one roof -- to help improve mental health services for minority ethnic groups.”

For more information or to arrange interviews please contact Michael Torres, Media Relations, CAMH at (416) 595-6015.

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The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada’s leading addiction and mental health teaching hospital. Integrating clinical care, scientific research, education, policy development and health promotion, CAMH transforms the lives of people impacted by mental health and addiction issues.