Immigrants and Mental Health

Immigrants and Mental Health

Thank you for the article on some of the challenges health care providers face in delivering mental health services to members of immigrant communities ["Explaining Away Mental Illness," Sept. 4]. It is a very fine line that we in the medical community walk -- to be culturally sensitive and provide needed care. After all, if a patient or the family feels you are disrespecting their views on an illness's cause, then they are less likely to follow through on a recommended treatment. With our area's large and growing immigrant populations, it is increasingly important for providers to recognize this. Otherwise we will find ourselves with a large number of people in poor health, which in turn leads to higher health care costs overall.

Judith Levine, BSN, RN

Gaithersburg

As we mark the one-year anniversary of the killing of local psychiatrist Wayne Fenton by a patient, it is so important that we are mindful of the obstacles to treatment for the mentally ill. I appreciate that the article pointed out that immigrant populations do not necessarily have higher instances of mental illness but are less likely to seek treatment.

NAMI Montgomery County offers assistance to individuals and families facing the challenges of mental illness; we hold a Latino Support Group on the third Wednesday of each month in Wheaton. For more information on this service and others in Montgomery County, visit http://www.namimc.org/index.asp.

Terri Evans

Outreach Coordinator