ETHNICITY AND MENTAL HEALTH

The relationship between ethnicity and mental health

Ethnicity and Mental Mental health

Statement of Question

Social scientists and biologists alike cannot agree on how many ethnicitys there are because it is so arbitrary (Henslin, 2007). In our modern world, ethnicity is determined by inherent skin color, which unfortunately implies social class or status (Brown, 1998). Therefore, inherited attributes of ethnicitys are not a genetic, but social a classification. All humans are of the same species, Homo sapiens. Ethnicity is a fabrication designed to categorize humans (Brown, 1998). Cross-cultural studies on phenotypes are conducted because ethnicity is not a useful biological concept (Brown, 1998). Unfortunately, medical practitioners, mental mental health workers, and their patients often associate ethnicity with ethnicity.

Introduction

Anthropologists have attempted to define ethnicity by three competing theories, according to the Encyclopedia of Social and Cultural Anthropology (1996): primordialist, instrumentalist, and constructivist. Primordial theorists examine ethnicity based on phylogenetic ancestral connections determined by genetic and geographical factors. Instrumentalists believe that ethnicity is a political fabrication, which economically exploits groups of people. Constructive theorists assert that historical accountings of ethnic groups are used to establish group identity, background, political mobilization and social stratification. However, for the purpose of this paper, ethnicity is simply defined as a person's national or cultural origin.

Ethnicity has three fundamental purposes with in society, according to anthropologist Alan Hardwood (1981). (1) Ethnicity establishes associations by common geographical location, historical experiences, or shared cultural heritage (Parsons, 1975). (2) Ethnicity indicates the same values, believes, behavioral norms, and cultural traits such as language. (3) Individual interactionism within an ethnic group is a part of the functionality of a larger social system.

Logical Argument

There is a distinct difference between prejudice and discrimination. Prejudice is contained within a person's thoughts and feelings; ethnic discrimination is the action of unfair treatment of others based on ethnicity (Matsumoto, 2008). Conflict between in-groups and out-groups exacerbates discrimination and ethnocentrism (Henslin, 2006). This natural competition for power, prestige, status, or wealth can produces prejudicial thoughts and feelings, or discriminatory actions toward an ethnic group (Matsumoto, 2008). Individuals within the out-group usually grapple with the fear of racism, neuroticism, and hostility, which has adverse effects on mental health, particularly heart disease (Cockerham, 2007).

Practitioners are organized into two groups: the folk sector and the professional system (Leininger, 2002:117-143). The folk sector is comprised of people who have not taken formal medical training and a government does not regulate their practice. The folk sector can include, but is not limited to religious leaders, psychics, shamans, herbalists, massage therapists, and naturopaths (Leininger, 2002:117-143). In contrast, the professional system are formally trained and regulated. Many ethnic minorities migrate from places where folk sectors dominate the medical field. This has compelled the Western biomedical system to conform to cultural relative and competent medical practices because of the complications of a multicultural society (Leininger, 2002:117-143).

Analysis and evaluation

Ethnocentrism is the inclination to measure other cultures through one's own cultural filters, which often times induces biases (Henslin, 2006). Ethnocentrism remains to be a constant medical problem in ...