Assessing Mental Health Across Cultures

L. Andary, Y. Stolk and S Klimidis

Published by Australian Academic Press
ISBN 1875378405 AU$35.00 inc. GST

This publication offers relevant clinical guidance to all mental health professionals and students who wish to to obtain an in-depth understanding of clients whose cultural background is different from their own. Through a combination of theoretical discussion and case examples, this book questions the foundations and assumptions of Western models of mental health assessment, most notably the DSM system. The authors provide a framework to enable clinicians to conduct culturally senstive clinical assessments of clients from non-Western backgrounds, as an alternative to applying possibly inappropriate Western diagnostic categories.

For more details please contact the VTPU on (03) 9417 4300 or email: vtpu@svhm.org.au

Refugee Communities and Health Services

Edited by I.H. Minas and C.L. Hayes
Victorian Transcultural Psychiatry Unit,1994
ISBN 0 646 21771 2 AU$8.80 inc. GST

The papers in this volume are edited versions of papers delivered at a conference held in Melbourne, June 1993. The papers outline government responses to refugees and the difficulties and concerns surrounding refugee communities. Recommendations that should improve the quality and accessibility of health services for refugees are outlined.

Access the contents of the book here.

Migration and Mental Health Responsibilities and Opportunities

Edited by I.H. Minas and C.L.Hayes
Victorian Transcultural Psychiatry Unit,1994
ISBN 0 646 21770 4 AU$11.00 inc. GST

Those who have experienced migration from one country to another understand the stress that accompanies the move. This book outlines the need for expanded knowledge and information about immigration and health, including mental health. The authors note that “new perspectives of transcultural psychiatry have emerged” and conclude that these are valuable for the development of a proper appreciation of the way in which the cultural shaping of illness phenomena occurs.

Access the contents of the book here.

Mental Health for Multicultural Australia
A National Strategy

I.H. Minas, D. Silove, J-P. Kunst.
Victorian Transcultural Psychiatry Unit,1993
ISBN 1 875 271 11 2 AU$10.00 inc. GST

Published in 1993, this book, which includes translations of the Executive Summary in 15 languages, laid the foundation for the establishment of the Australian Transcultural Mental Health Network, and for the projects that the ATMHN carried out in the first phase of its operation.

Recent Developments in Mental Health

The National Institute of Mental Health, Vietnam and The Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Section of Social & Cultural Psychiatry, Editor: I.H. Minas, 1996
ISBN 0 7325 1427 4 AU$11.00 inc. GST

The collaborative workshop for which the presented papers were prepared was a significant event for both the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and the National Institute of Mental Health, Vietnam. The papers present an overview of current psychiatric practice, education and research, and summaries of developments in psychiatry in Vietnam.

Efficient, Equity – Oriented Strategies for Health International Perspectives - Focus on Vietnam

Editors: Pham Manh Hung, I.Harry Minas, Yuanli Liu, Goran Dahlgren,
William C. Hsio
Centre for International Mental Health Melbourne, 2000
ISBN 09585954 9 6 AU$38.50 inc. GST
Vietnamese language version also available

Efficiency and equity in health care are key principles underlying the development of the health sector in many countries around the world. Vietnam is a developing country with a lower average per capita income than many other countries in Asia and in the world. The Government budget allocated for health care is less than USD 4 per capita per year, yet the Government of Vietnam remains committed to equitable health care. This publication introduces the highly scientific and practical thoughts of the many scientists who presented papers at this International Conference.

Evaluation of the Bilingual Case Management Program

S. Ziguras , G. Stuart., J. Lewis, S. Klimidis , I.H. Minas, J. Pennella, A. Jackson
Victorian Transcultural Psychiatry Unit , 2000
ISBN 0 9585954 0 2 AU$8.80 inc. GST

The Bilingual Case Management Program was established in 1996 to overcome deficiencies in mental health service delivery to non-English speaking background people, in response to a client consultation which identified the employment of bilingual staff as a strong preference of non-English speaking background clients. In order to assess the value of this program a rigorous evaluation was undertaken by the VTPU. The evaluation indicated a number of important outcomes including better compliance of medication, greater satisfaction with the service, including its cross-cultural sensitivity and better long-term improvement in social functioning.

Bibliography of Multi-Lingual Mental Health Assessment Instruments

Steven Klimidis and Anne Gordon
Victorian Transcultural Psychiatry Unit, 2000
ISBN 095859547X AU$16.50 inc. GST

In Australia and in many multi-lingual communities there is increasing interest in conducting mental health research and clinical assessment across the 'language barrier'. The aim of this publication is to improve access to multi-lingual psychological/psychiatric assessment tools and instruments with the hope that clinical service provision and clinical research are facilitated. If a copy of any instrument is required then this may be requested from the authors of the papers listed in the bibliography.

Mental Health Services for NESB Immigrants Transforming Policy into Practice

I.H. Minas, T.J.R. Lambert, S. Kostov,G. Boranga
Bureau of Immigration, Multicultural and Population Research Commonwealth of Australia ,1996
ISBN 0 644 35782 7

[Out of print]

The special value of this study is the framework for developing models of mental health services which it provide; also the positive, pragmatic outline given about research and professional education development potential. The stress placed by the authors on the need for improved data and information, even if these are difficult to collect, deserves particular attention. Above all the study aims to highlight the special importance of mental health services for non-English speaking background communities and the need for suitable means for delivery.

Mental Health Service Use by Ethnic Communities In Victoria
Part I Descriptive Report
Part II Statistical Tables

S. Klimidis, J. Lewis, T. Miletic, S. McKenzie,Y. Stolk, I.H. Minas,
Victorian Transcultural Psychiatry Unit, Melbourne,1999
ISBN 0 9585954 1 ISBN 0 9585954 2 9A AU$33.00 per set inc. GST

The purpose of these two reports is to provide useful information for decision-making about the status and nature of service provision in order to achieve equitable mental health services to all Victorians, regardless of their linguistic and cultural background. The operational aim is to provide a comprehensive statistical examination of the characteristics of mental health service provision to members of Victoria's non-English speaking background communities.

Access the contents of the books here. (Note: Adobe Acrobat Reader is required)
http://www.vtpu.org.au/resources/publications/books/mhservice/mhservice.php

Mental Health of Ethnic Communities

Edited by E. Chiu and I.H. Minas
St Vincent's Hospital and Victorian Transcultural Psychiatry Unit, 1998
ISBN 0 7325 0276 4 AU$11.00 inc. GST

The papers delivered at the symposium on which this book is based outline proposed government changes to the area of mental health service provision. The authors outline issues which are relevant to particular ethnic groups and proposals for further research. This is an edited version of papers from a symposium held at St Vincent’s Hospital in 1988.