Recent studies have shown that minority groups in North America, especially immigrants and refugees, tend to underutilize mental health services. The purposes of this paper are: to present some clinical findings on a group of 118 Southeast Asian refugee patients who have resettled in Ontario, Canada, since 1975; and to discuss the reasons why the Southeast Asian patients underutilize existing mental health services. It would appear that cultural factors must be taken into consideration in the planning of services and any mental health service for the refugee patient should overcome the following barriers: language and communication difficulties; lack of bicultural, bilingual staff; lack of cultural sensitivity on the part of service providers; and lack of culturally relevant treatment models.

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Short Survey Vietnam immigrant refugee psychological aspect methodology human Refugees economic aspect social aspect Aged mental health care Adolescent male Canada Acculturation female Community Mental Health Services organization and management adult Utilization Review ethnic or racial aspects Middle Age Child