News Release
Mental Health on the Agenda at Magee
Mental health will be the focus of a two-day conference hosted at the University of Ulster this week.
The Fourth Annual Mental Health Conference, organised by the School of Nursing, will explore the theme of ‘Mental Health in a Changing World: the Impact of Culture and Diversity.”Marie O’Neill, Conference Manager from the University’s School of Nursing at Magee, said: “This is the fourth annual mental health conference at the Magee campus, which provides an opportunity to enhance the wealth of experience and knowledge that is gained through the exchange of ideas with delegates within the mental health field and from the wider network of disciplines working within our schools and communities, both statutory and voluntary.
“There have been many changes in the work of mental health practitioners and care providers, it is important to consider in line with major mental health reviews, the necessary impact of skills and services will have on the future delivery of quality mental health care."This year's conference will highlight how culture directly affects mental health. Culture plays a significant role on well-being. It can strongly influence understanding and acceptance of mental illness. For instance in many cultures including our own, mental illness is still stigmatised - forcing people to live in denial about their mental illness or be completely ostracised.
"Culture may influence many aspects of mental health, including how individuals from a given culture communicate and manifest their symptoms, their style of coping, their family and community supports, and their willingness to seek treatment. Likewise, the cultures of the clinician and the service system influence diagnosis, treatment, and service delivery. Cultural and social influences are not the only determinants of mental illness and patterns of service use, but they do play important roles."
Marie Dunne, Western Health and Social Care Trust, Health Promotion Department, added: “We all have a role to play in promoting the emotional health and wellbeing of our growing and diverse population. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an excellent vehicle in challenging the stigma that is often associated with mental health problems and provides us with a language to address our emotional and mental health needs”.
Mental Health in a Changing World: the Impact of Culture and Diversity, take places from Thursday 01 November until Friday 02 November, University of Ulster, Magee campus.
For further information, please contact:
Trina Porter
Telephone: 028 71675511
Email: Trina Porter
