AQW 23096/22-27
Ms Kate Nicholl
Alliance Party
South Belfast
Tabled Date: 21/02/2025
Answered On Date: 11/03/2025
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail any work undertaken in his Department to understand the impact of racism on the mental health of ethnic minority communities in Northern Ireland.
Answer:
Two briefing papers (Health Intelligence Briefs, {HIBs}) were prepared by PHA facilitated working groups and are as follows: The HIB on ethnic minorities summarised the evidence at the time (up to 2012) on racist incidences (PSNI data), public attitudes/prejudice towards ethnic minorities (based on the NI Life and Times Survey) and experiences of racism/discrimination at work, when accessing healthcare, and those in prison within the frame of wider determinants of health. For children/young people, experiences of discrimination/racist bullying in schools were also noted, drawing on multiple research projects conducted in the preceding years. The statistics cited have changed since but can be accessed from their respective sources: PSNI Hate Motivation Statistics | PSNI and the NILT NI Life and Times Survey - Attitudes to Minority Ethnic People. The HIB on Travellers’ mental health (2012) provided an overview of prevalence of mental health issues as well as the role of experiences of discrimination/racism in the lives of Travellers as an influence on their mental health. This covered the impact of discrimination during childhood and adult years. It drew extensively on the All Ireland Traveller Health Study but also on local research/engagement in NI. The PHA (Health Intelligence) also commissioned a report and executive summary specifically regarding asylum seekers/refugees, exploring options to support their Mental Health on request from Health Improvement colleagues. The report on refugee and asylum seekers’ mental health (2018) highlighted racism/discrimination as one post-migration stressor that can lead to social isolation and poor mental health. Overall, it is the same factors that impact the mental health of the host population that also influence the mental health of asylum seekers/refugees, though the latter are more likely to experience more risk and fewer protective factors. The report explored, across a wide range of influencing factors, projects to improve/maintain mental health among asylum seekers/refugees as examples of good practice.
|