Utilisation of mental health services

A study of older Chinese migrants in New Zealand showed that significant numbers of older people (26%) appear to be depressed or at risk for depression (Abbott et al., 2003). Older Chinese migrants with mental health issues face a number of barriers accessing culturally appropriate services (Abbott et al., 2003; Cheung, 2010). In Cheung’s (2010) study of characteristics of Chinese service users in an old age psychiatry services in New Zealand, older Chinese people were found to have lower referral rates and to under utilise Mental Health Services for Older Adults (MHSOA), compared to non-Chinese users. In the study all MHSOA service users had been in New Zealand for more than three years, and dementia (36.4%) and depression (31.8%) were the most common diagnoses for those referred to MHSOA.

Other key findings in the study showed that (Cheung, 2010):

• Mental illness is conceived as supernatural punishment for wrong doing and is associated with intense shame and stigma. Family support is a key protective factor and source of emotional support in the Chinese communities.
• Families can encourage help-seeking behaviour. A typical pathway to care for Chinese people with mental illness starts with seeking medical help accompanied by the family.
• General practitioners play a pivotal role in referring older Chinese clients and their families to appropriate services and supports.
• Greater use of services and better clinical outcomes can be achieved when bilingual/bicultural clinicians are available.