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This position paper has been substantially revised by the Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA)'s Section on Transcultural Psychiatry and the Standing Committee on Education and approved for republication by the CPA's Board of Directors on February 8, 2019. The original position paper1 was first approved by the CPA Board on September 28, 2011. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects on mental health of the stress of being interned in a refugee camp were assessed in a community survey of 1348 Southeast Asians. The impact on depressive mood proved significant but short-lived. Social support derived from the ethnic community and from an intact marriage moderated the risk of developing depressive symptoms, apparently by enhancing a sense of identity and belongingness. A psychological coping mechanism--avoidance of the past--buffered the impact of camp stress on depressive symptoms. While refugees brought into the country under private sponsorship were expected to have a mental health advantage compared to those admitted under government sponsorship, this hypothesis was not confirmed. Private sponsorship, carried out by individuals or groups whose religion differed from the refugees they were supporting, acted as a source of stress. Key words--stress, disaster, Southeast Asian refugees, depression

A review of the Western mental health scales that have been utilized in Nepal was conducted. Academic search engines ( PubMed, MEDLINE, PsychLIT, Social Sciences Citation Index, and Anthropology Plus) were searched using relevant terms for the years 1990-2011. Search results indicated a limited number of mental health scales had been used and/or developed in Nepal with mixed emphasis on reliability and validity, as well as cultural considerations. These scales, methods and limitations are discussed within the cultural and social background of Nepal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers guidelines for training in cultural psychiatry. Based on a review of literature and existing training programs, it addresses issues relevant to general psychiatry and specific populations including refugees and immigrants. A knowledge exchange centre is developed by the Section on Transcultural Psychiatry of the Canadian Psychiatric Association to share curriculum materials, interactional learning and self assessment tools of clinical practice and organizational change.

This descriptive study presented an overview of culturally sensitive mental health services and potential barriers for immigrant Canadians. A semi-structured questionnaire was developed and administered to 173 patients who attended a large cross-cultural psychiatry outpatient clinic in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Results indicated that only 21% of patients were able to state their diagnosis or were able to describe the symptoms of their diagnosis that met the DSM-IV criteria given by a psychiatrist. Examination of patient ethnicity showed that more South Asian (25%) or Southeast Asian (24%) patients had more diagnoses of anxiety disorder in comparison to other ethnic groups. Refugees characterized mental illness in terms of stress or stress-related factors (30%) in comparison to non-refugees (13%). There was a greater preference in women, when compared to men, to prefer the term ‘client’ versus ‘patient’. These results elucidate the importance of cultural and systemic barriers for immigrant Canadians. The need for appropriate service delivery is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: Mental health professionals are increasingly aware of the need to incorporate a patient's religious and spiritual beliefs into mental health assessments and treatment plans. Recent changes in assessment and treatment guidelines in the US have resulted in corresponding curricular changes, with at least 16 US psychiatric residency programs now offering formal training in religious and spiritual issues. We present a survey of training currently available to Canadian residents in psychiatry and propose a lecture series to enhance existing training.Methods: We surveyed all 16 psychiatry residency programs in Canada to determine the extent of currently available training in religion and spirituality as they pertain to psychiatry.Results: We received responses from 14 programs. Of these, 4 had no formal training in this area. Another 4 had mandatory academic lectures dedicated to the interface of religion, spirituality, and psychiatry. Nine programs offered some degree of elective, case-based supervision.Conclusion: Currently, most Canadian programs offer minimal instruction on issues pertaining to the interface of religion, spirituality, and psychiatry. A lecture series focusing on religious and spiritual issues is needed to address this apparent gap in curricula across the country. Therefore, we propose a 10-session lecture series and outline its content. Including this lecture series in core curricula will introduce residents in psychiatry to religious and spiritual issues as they pertain to clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]