e-mental health toward cross-cultural populations worldwide

Abstract

Cross-cultural patient mental health-care demands a high standard of communication between the patient and the provider, since linguistic and other differences may influence it and consequently affect quality of care and satisfaction. Geographical distances, culture, religious, and linguistic, make it difficult for some patient populations to access mental health professionals in their desired way. Clinicians with a positive attitude to differences and who advocate for patients may seek out e-Mental Health (eMH) innovations to overcome barriers, increase the quality of mental health care for ethnic minorities, and enhance their own education. Indeed, eMH applications offer new possibilities for reducing disparities in access to relevant mental health care to most vulnerable patient groups, such as refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers worldwide. National and international cross-cultural eMH services may contribute to reduce stigma and improve quality of health care of these groups in their host countries. Equal access to mental health services is a human right, for both domestic and immigrant population in modern communities worldwide.