Why are more Afro-Caribbean diagnosed with Schizophrenis compared to their White British counterparts?

Why Are More Afro-Caribbeans Diagnosed With Schizophrenia compared to their White British counterparts

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MA in Social Work . 2007 . University of Leicester

Victoria Ghee-Fyfe

Word count 11 , 788

UNIVERSITY OF

LEICESTER

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

2005-2007

Why Are More Afro-Carribeans Diagnosed With Schizophrenia compared to their White British counterparts

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Victoria Ghee-Fyfe

MA (Social Work

2006

Dedication

This document is

dedicated to all sufferers and their families who have been affected by schizophrenia especially to ethnic minorities and Afro-Caribbean people nationally and internationally . Also to the University of Leicester that facilitated me during this research Special thanks to professor Kwame Owusu-Bempah and my personal support-tutor Claire Graham . Without their help this research would not have been as successful . Also to my husband Ronald Michael Fyfe who has offered me social and emotional stability during this period .CONTENTS Page Abstract .6

Introduction .7

Chapter One - Afro-Caribbeans .12

Chapter Two - Research Evidence .25

Chapter Three - Explanations .33

Conclusion .48

Bibliography Abstract

Numerous studies have reported consistently higher choose one of these words - they mean the same thing rates of schizophrenia diagnosed among Afro-Caribbeans and their offspring who are living in Britain relative to the British white population . Research evidence has reflected startling findings of a major increase in risk ratios of diagnosed schizophrenia in Afro-Caribbeans for both first and second generations living in Britain . However , the rates of schizophrenia diagnosed in the countries of origin contradict the higher rates of schizophrenia diagnosis found in Afro-Caribbeans in the United Kingdom . Current explanatory hypotheses emphasize various explanations such as substance misuse , racism , cultural misunderstanding and socioeconomic and environmental factors

However research findings of schizophrenia in countries of origin such as Barbados , Trinidad and Jamaica contradict research findings found in Britain and elsewhere in Europe . Hence , this review searches for explanations is as to why there is a higher incidence of diagnosed schizophrenia in Afro-Caribbeans living in Britain . In addition , why is it that the findings from countries of origin fail to show supporting evidence of higher rates of diagnosed schizophrenia in the black population compared to their white counterparts ? The results of this review illustrate that although there is various research evidence that shows support for higher incidences of schizophrenia diagnosis among Afro-Caribbeans in Britain , various factors need to be addressed before such a claim can be acknowledged as a genuine reflection of migrant Blacks who reside in Britain

Methods : A literature review

Key Words : Afro-Caribbean , race , culture , schizophrenia , diagnosis

Introduction

Why Are More Afro-Caribbeans Diagnosed With Schizophrenia compared to their White British counterparts There are consistent reports of high rates of schizophrenia diagnoses in the Afro-Caribbean population group (Harrison et al , 1998 Selten and Sijben , 1994 Sharpely and Peters , 1999 . The recent studies show this incidence to be 5-10 times higher in African and Carribean groups (Fung , 2006 ) After the Second World War , a large influx of immigrants moved in to...