Disparities.
Disparities in mental health outcomes for people from minority ethnic backgrounds, and the high proportion of people from such backgrounds professing a faith, means that referrals and signposting through faith communities is one way of addressing health inequalities and enabling people to gain timely access to the support they need.
- Bansal N, Karlsen S, Sashidharan SP, Cohen R, Chew-Graham CA, Malpass A. Understanding ethnic inequalities in mental healthcare in the UK: A meta-ethnography. PLoS Med. 2022 Dec 13;19(12):e1004139.
Trigger points.
Many people turn to their faith, or access a faith community, at times of transition, difficulty or change – like bereavement, retirement, changes in relationships, living somewhere new, or having a baby. These moments can also be trigger points for poor mental health and suicidal ideation, so a well-placed intervention, or referral to the right support, can make a big difference.
Personalised care.
Good care is personalised and built upon what matters to people. You might argue that few things are more personal than where we place our faith. Any truly personalised approach to suicide prevention must take faith into account.
Benefits.
People want their faith to be included in their care, and they benefit when it is. Religious or spiritual beliefs and practices are important to many people, and can be a major influence on their attitudes and behaviours. Over half of people who use mental health services find their beliefs helpful in managing their mental health issues, but often find it difficult to speak about them with health professionals.
Studies have shown that culture and faith-informed practice can improve communication and lead to better outcomes.
There are people that do seek professional help, but they still want to understand: what is happening to them? Is it based on karma? They've got so many questions that they want answering based from their faith...
- Royal College of Psychiatrists Spirituality and Psychiatry Special Interest Group, Spirituality (SPSIG) [website] (accessed 6 November 2023).
- Swihart DL, Yarrarapu SNS, Martin RL. Cultural Religious Competence in Clinical Practice. [Updated 2023 Jul 24]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-.
- Also see Mueller, P., Plevak, D. and Rummans, T., Religious Involvement, Spirituality, and Medicine: Implications for Clinical Practice. (accessed 17th January 2024).
Sector size.
It’s a big part of the life of the UK. Over half of the UK population (57%) profess faith, around 34% of the population attend a place of worship, and over a quarter of charities (27%) have a faith basis.
- Office for National Statistics, 2021.
- Bull, D. and Wharton, R. (2016). Understanding faith-based charities. London: New Philanthropic Capital.
Assets.
Faith communities have assets for prevention, including:
- Prominent buildings in accessible locations
- An ethos of care and compassion, including to the most marginalised
- Motivated volunteers (meaning investment goes a long way)
- Social capital and expertise through their networks
- Trust and community knowledge
Assets are the physical and non-physical resources or characteristics which help faith groups serve their communities. Such as: buildings and spaces, volunteer power, an ethos of care and service, and trust.
- November, L. (2014). The Impact of Faith-Based Organisations on Public Health and Social Capital. London: FaithAction.