"...the ninth-lowest obesity rate in the world and the third-longest expectancy for a healthy life, you could be forgiven for thinking that South Korea is some sort of wellness paradise. However, South Korea has one of the worst mental health problems in the industrialized world."
- South Korea has the highest suicide rate among the OECD countries with nearly 40 victims per day. This figure is 50% higher than the second-ranked country, Hungary.
- It has the highest rate of liquor consumption of any country in the world at almost 14 shots per person per week. (However, Americans are four times as likely to seek treatment as alcohol-dependent Koreans).
- 30% of South Korean seniors are depressed in comparison to only 10-15% of Americans.
The catch: 78% of elderly South Koreans think depression means a person is weak. This is in comparison to only 6% of elderly Americans. Read more...
I was born and raised in BC, Canada but my background is South Korean. I grew up with a shared cultural influence from both worlds. I observed first-hand the stigma that surrounded mental health issues. There is this fear of appearing weak in front of others and this need to 'fit in with the norm.' Mental health, for the most part, is considered taboo, and for the most part remains unspoken. Many Korean immigrants have now called Canada their home but are anchored in this outdated way of thinking. How do we overcome this negative perception of mental health?
EENet has produced meaningful resources on culturally competent care in service delivery. For more information on EENet's Sharing Together Initiative on Culturally Safe & Competent Care, click here.
Watkins, J. (2018). South Korea's Mental Health Problem - that Koreans don't admit. Retrieved from: https://www.ozy.com/acumen/sou...ans-dont-admit/83629
