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Globalisation and mental disorders. Overview with relation to depression.
Dinesh Bhugra1, Anastasia Mastrogianni
1Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK.
Summary
Globalisation impacts how depression is experienced and treated across cultures. Understanding cultural variations in distress symptoms is crucial for accurate diagnosis and care, though future changes are unpredictable.
Area of Science:
- Transcultural Psychiatry
- Global Mental Health
- Sociology of Health
Background:
- Globalization is reshaping cultural norms and influencing how distress is expressed worldwide.
- Industrialization, urbanization, and media contribute to changing idioms of distress across diverse societies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the influence of globalization on depression.
- To use depression as a case study for understanding transcultural variations in epidemiology, diagnosis, clinical presentation, and treatment.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review and synthesis of recent research on the transcultural aspects of depression.
- Analysis of studies focusing on cross-cultural differences in depressive disorders.
Main Results:
- Cultural, social, and religious factors significantly affect depression presentation globally.
- Somatic symptoms are common worldwide idioms of distress, but psychological symptoms are often present upon further inquiry.
- Rates of guilt and suicide vary across cultures, indicating potential underdiagnosis of depression.
Conclusions:
- Enhanced cultural competency training for clinicians is vital in multicultural settings.
- Globalization's future impact on idioms of distress and healthcare-seeking behaviors remains uncertain and requires further investigation.