Whilst most people living In the UK enjoy good mental health, health and social inequalities abound amongst those experiencing social and economic disadvantage (Marmot Review, 2009). We are therefore asking Black people complete a web-based questionnaire to examine the relation between race-related incidents and mental health in Black people in the UK.
Whilst most people living In the UK enjoy good mental health, health and social inequalities abound amongst those experiencing social and economic disadvantage (Marmot Review, 2009). Although other minority ethnic groups also experience social disadvantage and racial discrimination in the UK (Modood, Berthoud, & Lahey, 1997; Nazroo, 1998; Bhui, 2002; Tinsley & Jacobs, 2006; Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate (HORDSD) , 2004, 2004, 2006; Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), 2007; 2008), they do not however appear to experience the same incidence of mental illness on first contact with the mental health care services as black people of African and African Caribbean descent in the UK people do. Black people of African and African Caribbean descent in the UK are no more likely to experience common mental heal disorders such as depression and anxiety than their white counterparts (Sproston & Nazroo, 2002), but they 2.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia or other psychotic illness (Healthcare Commission, 2005). The reason(s) 'why' are uncertain, but racism haslong beenassociated with ill health (Paradies, 2006), and there has been some speculation as to whether social pressure such that which might result from racism might be the cause of mental ill health within the Black community in the UK (McKenzie, 2006). There is little evidence however that a causal relationship between the experience of racism and the deterioration in mental health. This research therefore attempts to test the view that, social determinants of health such as racism exert their effect psychologically, and when these experience ofsocial inequality are mentally represented exert their effect on the mental heath of black people of African and African Caribbean descent (black people) in the UK.
