The Sociology of Mental Health: An Analysis of the Impact of Socio-Cultural Factors on Mental Health

Abstract

Existing research literature shows that the socio-cultural environment in which people live significantly impacts mental health and many prevalent mental diseases. Socio-cultural inequalities in society are linked to an increased risk of a variety of mental illnesses. There is a large body of evidence to support the idea that human beings who live in socially unstable social structures, will become vulnerable to various psychological issues. There is widespread scientific agreement among social psychologists and sociologists that providing a stable socio-political environment would result in the greatest community mental health advantages. There is a need to have crucial strategies for reducing the risk of mental diseases throughout one's life, as well as at the community and national levels. In this way, there is a need to improve the responsiveness of social work practice to the mental health needs of the community by reviewing sociocultural factors that may lead to poor mental health care utilization across individual, family, and cultural domains. In this background, the paper appraises and examines the research literature on the links between social determinants of health and mental health. The study also evaluates the importance of social and cultural structures in developing viable, culturally appropriate prevention and intervention techniques to enhance a positive community eco-system ultimately reducing mental health disparities.