The ethnocultural aspect of the epidemiology of mental illness
The materials presented in this review article attest to the fact that epidemiological studies facilitate the identification of serious problems in the field of the organization of healthcare, which are linked to the indicators of mental health. The psychosocial, sociological, and anthropological data, submitted in the literature, point to the need of carrying out the corresponding populational studies, both at the national and at the regional levels. In the studies, which have been subjected to analysis, one establishes and provides substantiation for the influence of the ethnocultural factor on the prevention, prevalence, phenomenology, diagnostics, treatment, and the level of stigmatizationof mental disorders. However, these studies do not contain a discussion of the influence exerted by the ethnocultural factor on the structure and the dynamics of the indicators of incidence of mental disorders and disability which ensues. Based on the data of a 20-year long national statistical observation, the authors of this article have identified the trends of the indicators of mental ill- health in large ethnocultural groups of the population, residing the regions of Russia. A promising direction for researching the ethnocultural specific features is seen by the authors in studying the subjective well-being of persons, also distinguishing the main determining problems (the influence of the cultural dimension, effects of the ethnic socialization of personality, belongingness to the majority group, etc.). It is important to achieve understanding of the part played by the psychological status of personality in overcoming mental disorder, also taking into account one's adherence to a culture and to the nature of interethnic relations. These authors have searched the literature and have found but a few scientific publications looking at the significance of the ethnocultural factor in forming suicidal behavior, even though researchers do acknowledge the necessity of working on this scientific task.