Considering culture in the psychiatric assessment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Abstract

There is little information about referrals of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to general hospital psychiatry services. Even less is known about how culture is incorporated into their psychiatric assessment and management plans. This is important as culture is a fundamental aspect of the social and emotional health and wellbeing of Indigenous Australians. Consultation-liaison psychiatry services are referred patients admitted to the general hospital or Emergency Department. This study was conducted to evaluate whether and how culture is incorporated into the psychiatric assessment and management of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples referred to a consultationliaison ..