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Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing in Multicultural Australia: A Collaborative Regional Approach

Author

Listed:
  • Ilse Blignault

    (Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith 2751, Australia)

  • Hend Saab

    (South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Multicultural Health Service, Darlinghurst 2010, Australia
    St George Community Mental Health, Kogarah 2172, Australia)

  • Lisa Woodland

    (South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Population and Community Health, Darlinghurst 2010, Australia
    Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, UNSW Sydney, Sydney 2052, Australia)

  • Klara Giourgas

    (South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Multicultural Health Service, Darlinghurst 2010, Australia)

  • Heba Baddah

    (South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Multicultural Health Service, Darlinghurst 2010, Australia)

Abstract

Migrant communities are often under-served by mental health services. Lack of community engagement results in missed opportunities for mental health promotion and early intervention, delayed care, and high rates of untreated psychological distress. Bilingual clinicians and others who work with these communities lack linguistically and culturally appropriate resources. This article reports on the implementation and evaluation of a community-based group mindfulness program delivered to Arabic and Bangla-speaking communities in Sydney, Australia, including modifications made to the content and format in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program was positioned within a stepped-care model for primary mental health care and adopted a collaborative regional approach. In addition to improved mental health outcomes for face-to-face and online program participants, we have documented numerous referrals to specialist services and extensive diffusion of mindfulness skills, mostly to family members, within each community. Community partnerships were critical to community engagement. Training workshops to build the skills of the bilingual health and community workforce increased the program’s reach. In immigrant nations such as Australia, mainstream mental health promotion must be complemented by activities that target specific population groups. Scaled up, and with appropriate adaptation, the group mindfulness program offers a low-intensity in-language intervention for under-served communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Ilse Blignault & Hend Saab & Lisa Woodland & Klara Giourgas & Heba Baddah, 2022. "Promoting Mental Health and Wellbeing in Multicultural Australia: A Collaborative Regional Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-21, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:5:p:2723-:d:759330
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chan-Young Kwon & Hui-Yong Kwak & Jong Woo Kim, 2020. "Using Mind–Body Modalities via Telemedicine during the COVID-19 Crisis: Cases in the Republic of Korea," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-11, June.
    2. Klimentina Krstanoska-Blazeska & Russell Thomson & Shameran Slewa-Younan, 2021. "Mental Illness Stigma and Associated Factors among Arabic-Speaking Religious and Community Leaders," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-13, July.
    3. Walther, Lena & Kröger, Hannes & Tibubos, Ana Nanette & Ta, Thi Minh Tam & von Scheve, Christian & Schupp, Jürgen & Hahn, Eric & Bajbouj, Malek, 2020. "Psychological distress among refugees in Germany: a cross-sectional analysis of individual and contextual risk factors and potential consequences for integration using a nationally representative surv," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 10(8).
    4. Math Janssen & Yvonne Heerkens & Wietske Kuijer & Beatrice van der Heijden & Josephine Engels, 2018. "Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on employees’ mental health: A systematic review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(1), pages 1-37, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ilse Blignault & Hend Saab & Hanan Youssef & Heba Baddah & Klara Giourgas & Lisa Woodland, 2023. "“It Is Definitely a Good Program for Everyone from Every Community”: A Qualitative Study of Community Partner Perspectives on the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Mindfulness Program," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(16), pages 1-16, August.

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