Protection and Advocacy Disparity for Mentally Ill Persons - Research Paper Example

PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY DISPARITY FOR MENTALLY ILL PERSONS INTRODUCTION Mental health advocacy is a concept whose development protects the rights of people with mental illness, mostly by reducing the humiliation and discernment. Moreover, it advocates for actions that base on countering the structure and attitude barriers that come in the way of acquiring positive mental health. Families of the mentally ill were the first people to fight for advocacy and the patients joined them later by making different requests and identifying the different areas that required numerous changes1 (APA, 2006, 4). Eventually, associations and corporations started supporting this group and even the government heard their voices making the whole issue a national and international urge. In the recent past, advocacy widened to entail the prerequisites and needs of people with trivial psychological conditions, today, the protection and advocacy concept covers everyone that is part of the mental health treatment processes. The different initiatives are supposed to benefit the mental health patients and their families at depth; however, in some areas, the concept is not that effectual. The comprehensive movement markedly influences cerebral wellbeing initiatives and regulation in some countries where there is significant improvement but some of the areas still need addressing. Appreciably, the concept of advocacy takes responsibility of elevated awareness of the significance of mental health as a prevailing and common condition in people. The main concern comes in because of the neglecting of treatment and care of the mentally ill in the dissertation around healthiness, privileges and equivalence2 (Kenneth, 2014, 1). This is confounding because psychological incapacities are prevalent, affecting a significant number of people around the globe. Additionally, the familiarity of people with cerebral infirmity is one categorized by diverse intertwined echelons of disparity and discrimination within the social order. Strategies aimed at achieving correct parity of every one need comparable determinations to realize applicable egalitarianism for people with psychological incapacities. Essentially, fundamental aspects such as deficiency, inequity, vagrancy and acumen are major contributors to the jeopardy for mental illness treatment and care; in fact, they facilitate most of the negative influences increasing overall disparity3 (WHO, 2003, 6). An approach based on psychological susceptibility should focus on exploiting the normal human aspects of patients by valuing their intrinsic formality, personal sovereignty, objectivity and the fact that they can make their own decisions to learn more about the disparity. Furthermore, it obliges the examination and transformation of most processes of the mental illness treatment, especially those that people have questioned in the past. This calls for the evaluation of different situations of inequity and discrimination as the first step of formulating solutions based on making advocacy and protection more effectual. THESIS Assertively, this article evaluates the common challenges on expression, comprehension representations of psychological debility and inferences of initiatives and programs based on advocating for equality and fair treatment in the health care system and the society. Moreover, by putting out the importance of health care specialists in preventing inequality, discernment and injustice, the paper also discusses the significance of the mentally ill knowing that they should control their personal well-being. Naturally, people with mental disabilities should be the first promoters of advocacy by voicing out areas that they feel require addressing and not letting cases of discrimination and injustice (like the one in the case study below) go unpunished. CASE STUDY Almost half of all law offenders from the black community have the justice system referring them to mental health facilities, which in itself is not right, and when in these detention facilities they still face discrimination. Generally, the black man faces unfairness and overrepresentation in all the areas; however, the most crucial are the large numbers of black men found subjected to mental health creating an urge for the health and social agencies to take the significant steps. Many initiatives try to counter this issue, having been set over the years, but the subject still requires a lot of addressing especially in the modern society. Relatively, many institutions and individuals discuss the problem facing black people; however, this has made little progress on the aspect of rectifying the conditions. Healthcare organizations agree that black men are overrepresented in the mental health treatment facilities with most of the causes of admission being institutional interests. In these situations, the levels of discrimination are so high that the processes implemented overlook the needs of the victim operating under the notion that the black men use mental instability as the scapegoat for their crimes MAIN BODY As mentioned in the thesis, an approach based on human rights is significant for such a matter and through unblemished inquiry of the numerous intensities of disparity and discrimination existing relative to persons like the black man, with psychological infirmities. Analyzing the condition is an illustration requirement for the different links based on the society, economy, culture and other aspects such as politics, in trying to establish the facilitators of the cerebral incapacities. The discussion below is a comprehensive analysis of how practical disparity and discrimination result from the society’s perception of mental illness and the endowment of treatment and care because of the protection and advocacy inequalities4 (MHA, 2014, 1). However, the basis of the arguments is on the different groups of factors that prompt the disparity. Generally, the analysis is relevant on an international perspective as it entails data from the US and the UK, not necessarily because they are the areas most affected but as a replication of the noteworthy investigation conducted in this areas unlike the comparative scantiness of information in most nations. UNSATISFACTORY FACILITY PROVISION BASED ON ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS, SOCIETY AND SEX In the United States, race and ethnicity are key determinants of access to health care services and treatment; mostly, minorities face discrimination and acquiring the necessary treatment is a challenge5 (MHA, 2014, 1). A 2012 report shows that patients with Asian, Latin and African American origins are less likely to receive treatment for depression unlike the white people that get a little consideration. This has been a major issue over the years with the black men being the most affected, not because there are no services but due to a lot of discrimination. Discrepancies in the provision and access of services also vary depending on the gender. Women are the most affected as they are usually at a disadvantage especially for those that face mental disorders resulting from substance abuse. Men do not face this problem because it is a common condition for their gender but women who indulge in substance abuse are subjects of discrimination. Unfortunately, women with personality disorders are less likely to access services and treatment compared to women with other psychological incapacities. UNSATISFACTORY PERVASIVENESS BASED ON ORGANIZATIONAL DISPARITIES Past research has shown that the pervasiveness of significant psychological incapacities show a discrepancy depending on societal and commercial differences in the society i.e. schizophrenia has different cases, and they all vary with dissimilarities in relocation, societal background, joblessness, vagrancy and salary variation6 (Kenneth, 2014, 1). These factors facilitate understanding of schizophrenia in physically susceptible persons. Additionally, whether the impact is negative or positive depends on other factors but it is common for such people to face more of the negativity. There are different theories based on explaining this, such as the concept of structural violence and the recent supplication of it by Brendan Kelly. All the same, aspects based on society, the economy and politics affect the mentally disable persons and in most situations, they facilitate the development of illnesses such as schizophrenia because the variations determine the type and levels of health care provision. Other common illnesses such as apprehension, despair and drug addiction/abuse display an augmented commonness relative to low social class, joblessness, low salary, vagrancy, paucity and disproportional pay. This is an indicator that people with societal disparities, lack jobs or come from humble backgrounds also have a greater chance of acquiring psychological illnesses as part of the consequences from the instability7 (Kenneth, 2014, 1). Resolutely, critical analysis on this matter shows that both personal income and incomes of other people in the community influence the health of a person. However, whether you are rich or poor does not count because past cases show that people from both sides are at risk depending on the number of different social challenges. UNSATISFACTORY FACILITY ACCESS BECAUSE OF ORGANIZATIONAL DISPARITIES Accessing health care services in any setting also depends on societal and financial features with the most affected being people in the low social classes where this is a major barrier; however, this depends on the development of the nation or community8 (Stuart, 2013, 128). For instance, in the United States, people with low incomes have fewer chances of getting utter healthcare services especially for mental illnesses treatment, but in places such as Canada where development is limited, the variation is not that high. Almost everyone has equal chances at accessing healthcare in these parts unlike in the US and UK where people in the low and middle classes have limited access depicting the impact is greater. Many factors contribute to the treatment gap for psychological incapacities around the globe i.e. limited knowledge, discrimination, limited services and obstacles resulting from the society and economy9 (Millar, 2014, 1). Many cases of schizophrenia, apprehension and affective conditions do not get treatment at all and the few patients that undergo treatment factors based on their social background determine its depth (whether it advances from stage one or not). In support, the WHO reports shows that mental disorder cases of people in the lower social class end up dying or living with the disease due to lack of services in over 15 nations, and only a quarter of the ones in the high social class get the treatment. Obviously, whether one is rich or poor is not a major determinant of whether they access the services or not in some areas such as the United States; however, in continents such as Africa it is evident that deficiency, disempowerment and insufficient edification hinder this. Relatively, this is because of lack of financial stability that most people are unable to clear the bills, purchase medication or travel to medical facilities. Largely, it is conspicuously deceptive how inequities based on the economy and society lead to disparities in access to care. UNEQUAL SERVICE ACCESS DUE TO A DIAGNOSIS OF MENTAL DISABILITY Significantly, being a mentally disordered person is a disadvantage itself, especially when it comes to accessing the necessary services and facilities because very few people in the society like dealing with such cases. There is a lot of prejudice, both factual and professed, about the mentally ill and very few people are aware that this is a core barrier; unsurprisingly, this even prompts families of the ill persons to avoiding or delaying the treatment10 (WHO, 2003, 23). Barriers such unawareness, obliviousness to treatment and anticipations of discernment originate from this factor as indicated by many of the previous studies based on analyzing provision of care to persons with mental disorders. In some countries such as Brazil and parts of the United Kingdom, mental health patients get partial treatment in settings that have very poor conditions; moreover, the treatment itself is unequal for mental disorders as compared to physical disorders. This shows that instead of helping the mentally disabilities patients get better they end up being worse because the prejudice and environmental conditions are contributors of lack of treatment, interruptions in a treatment and inferior conclusions. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION Evidently, the above factors are examples that give a comprehensive representation on the neglecting of psychological incapacity and health care in almost all areas. Most of these challenges revolve on the well-being of the mentally ill, valuing their rights and parity in general. In recent years, most mental health organizations have held discussions concerning discernment theories and insolences on hypothetical platform, which is as far as they have gone on the matter11 (Stuart, 2013, 130). However, there have been very few actions against the stigma or any initiative to improve the situation; moreover, from the discussion and results from almost every previous study none of the implemented strategies is effectual enough. Obviously, very few international and local organizations focus on real situations making it hard to understand or implement the necessary strategies. Most of the research bases on theoretical proficiencies that lack the obligatory context or direct experience hence producing indistinct inferences on how to moderate societal denunciation. The best idea would entail a change of emphasis from dishonor to discernment placing the mentally ill persons in a state of equivalence with deference to their protection and advocacy civil liberties agenda. Most of the initiatives and legislation set in most countries do not attain official equivalence for the mentally ill making this a precedence and urge that international corporations should focus on, as a start. However, the focus should not be on this factor alone, there should also be strategies that ensure the real life dynamics do not influence the inability to acquire the necessary treatment. Aspects such as deficiency, lack of education, salary disparity, vagrancy, sex, culture among others should not dictate the treatment protocols by acting as barriers of retrieval and restoration into the society. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities should form the basis of the correct approach to the protection and advocacy disparities of the mentally disabled persons. Despite the diversity in different parts of the world, this convection can enable the formulation of an effective plan that eliminates the multiple inequities and discernment brought about by cerebral infirmities in the society. The mentally ill people should not fully depend on health care specialists to fight for their human rights; in fact, the advocacy should start from them, through personal intervention to promote non-discernment, parity and fairness. Determinedly, comprehensive transformation should be the main agenda for everyone to ensure utilitarian egalitarianism among people with mental disorders. BIBLIOGRAPHY American Psychiatric Association (APA), “Eliminating Disparities in Mental Health” NAMI’s Multicultural Action Center 15, no.7 (2006): 1-16 Kenneth, Jonathan. “Mental Health and Inequality” Health and Human Rights Journal 7, no.1 (2014), 1 Mental Health America of California (MHA) “Racial and Ethnic Disparities” REMHDCO 1, no.2 (2014), 1 Millar, Ivan, “Mental Health Services Disparity” Journal of Mental Health Association 5, no.1 (2014), 1 Stuart, Gail. “Policy and Advocacy in Mental Health Care” Elseiver Advantage 6, no.2 (2013), 127-136 World Health Organization (WHO), “Advocacy for Mental Health” Mental Health Policy and Service Guidance Package 50, no.4 (2003), 3-51 Read More