Pacific peoples, mental health service engagement and suicide prevention in Aotearoa New Zealand
Ethnicity and Inequalities in Health and Social Care
ISSN: 1757-0980
Article publication date: 9 September 2014
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the engagement of Pacific peoples in mental health services in Aotearoa New Zealand and Pacific strategies for suicide prevention.
Design/methodology/approach
This qualitative study involved 22 interviews with Samoans who had made a suicide attempt and/or had suicide ideation, were engaged in a mental health service.
Findings
Narratives of mental health services and suicide prevention focused on issues of cultural competency, the importance of family involvement, dichotomous views of western and traditional beliefs around mental illness and the unsuccessful engagement of Pacific youth.
Originality/value
This research argues that cultural considerations for Pacific communities are of paramount importance if mental health service engagement and developments towards Pacific suicide prevention strategies are to be effective.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was fully funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand through a Pacific Health Research Postdoctoral Fellowship. The author wishes to thank the participants, the research advisory group, and also the mental health services (Auckland District Health Board's Lotofale and Counties Manukau District Health Board's Faleola, Intensive Care Unit and The Cottage) for their recruitment and clinical support roles.
Citation
Tiatia-Seath, J. (2014), "Pacific peoples, mental health service engagement and suicide prevention in Aotearoa New Zealand", Ethnicity and Inequalities in Health and Social Care, Vol. 7 No. 3, pp. 111-121. https://doi.org/10.1108/EIHSC-10-2013-0023
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited