Views of British South Asian Muslim leaders on mental health: a focus group study

Background: The purpose of this research was to explore how British South Asian Muslim community members including religious leaders living in the UK perceive mental health disorders, particularly schizophrenia. It also aims to examine religious leaders’ perceptions of mental health and their influence on members of the South Asian Muslim community. Methods: The focused group discussion was conducted among religious leaders and some members of South Asian community and it was facilitated by researchers. The process included a description of a hypothetical scenario of a member of a South Asian family undergoing a change in attitude, behaviour and speech that was significantly affecting his psychological and emotional health. The group members were encouraged to share their views, opinions and understandings of what they thought might be responsible for various aspects of the presentation. That group discussion was recorded and transcribed. Interpretation and thematic analysis of the transcribed data were carried out. Results: The understanding and perceptions of the British South Asian Muslim community members significantly depend upon their world views and on the cultural explanatory model of illness causation. It reinforced the initial impression that culture, faith and religiosity are the major factors that contribute to the understanding and perceptions of this ethnic-cultural group towards mental illness and mental health problems. Conclusions: Members of the British South Asian Muslim community have a unique explanatory model of the causation of mental illness where mental illness is often attributed to supernatural phenomena like possession by spirits (jinn), the evil eye (nazar), or harmful amulets