The Role of Stigma in Help-Seeking Strategies Among African Migrants in Australia: A Qualitative Study.
Agness Tembo, Kathomi Gatwiri, Obed Adonteng-Kissi and 8 others
PMID 40474444WHAT IT FOUND
African migrants described stigma delaying mental health help-seeking: fear of being called mad, communal shame, and spiritual beliefs led some to suffer silently or seek church first.
Clinicians should expect late presentation and ask about stigma and spiritual beliefs.
Key findings
01Fear of ostracism and shame led participants to delay or avoid seeking mental health help.
02Some participants described mental illness being understood as spiritual or supernatural, prompting help-seeking through church or traditional healers rather than mental health services.
03Public stigma led to avoidance, exclusion and, in some cases, family shunning or removal from the home.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 12 people were interviewed, so the themes may not represent all African migrants in Australia. Refugees were excluded, so the findings may not apply to people with war or trauma backgrounds. Participants volunteered after a survey, which may select people more willing to discuss mental health.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that African migrants generally avoid mental health care. The study interviewed 12 self-selected people, excluded refugees, and describes stigma as a barrier, not a population-wide behaviour.