Amin A Muhammad Gadit.
Need for training in cultural psychiatry: how relevant is it for Pakistan?.
J Pak Med Assoc Jan ;62(6):621-2.

Influence of culture on mental health has been described in the literature widely. Concept of normal mental health, beliefs about causation of mental illness and traditional practices in treatment of mental illness open up a fascinating area in the academic literature. In the western world, more emphasis is now being given on training in Cultural Psychiatry in view of multicultural composition of their population. The importance of such training is not less important in the developing world. There is wider cultural diversity in many countries of the developing world too. In Pakistan, there are quite a few ethnic groups and have multiple local languages besides the approved national language. Every spoken language has a different vocabulary and people express mental health symptoms keeping in context the language and background culture.1 Hence, practitioners of mental health care come across a variety of patients with different cultural backgrounds, literacy levels and languages. A \'universal psychiatrist\' would be the one who could understand the patient\'s clinical problem and provide appropriate health care.2 Training for mental health professionals in cultural issues appear to be vital even in Pakistan. The subject of behavioural sciences has been introduced in Pakistan but there is no mention of a formal practical training in cultural psychiatry in academic literature.3 Western countries do have guidelines for management in terms of mental illness. Recently, Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA) has produced a Position Paper entitled "Guidelines for Training in Cultural Psychiatry". This is based on a wide cultural diversity among the country\'s population, immigrants coming from all over the world and a huge number of refugees who are being granted asylum in Canada.

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