{
  "abstract": "Background Evidence shows that people of black Caribbean and black African heritage are two to eight times more likely to be diagnosed with severe mental health problems compared to white people. Simultaneously, they are less likely to access support. Black men, specifically, are the least likely population group to receive mental health treatment although they are five times more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia and experience longer compulsory hospitalisation than other ethnic groups. Although institutional racism is increasingly recognised as a barrier to accessing effective support, its intersection with normative understandings of gender and masculinity and histories of coercive treatment (e.g. in the criminal justice system) makes the experience of black men in the mental health care system unique. The current review explored evidence on black men’s experiences, barriers, and facilitators of accessing mental health care and translated findings into applicable recommendations for practitioners and decision-makers.Methods We followed PRISMA guidelines to inform the review design and reporting of methods and findings. We searched for international literature in MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. One researcher screened the identified literature. Two researchers extracted data from the included studies on patient engagement and experience, barriers and facilitators of access to mental health services, intervention impacts and regulatory mechanisms for ensuring high-quality mental health care. Data were synthesised thematically and discussed with a community group of black men with lived experience.Results 139 articles met the inclusion criteria and 89 of them were prioritised for evidence synthesis based on a judgement of robustness and relevance. The studies included in the synthesis primarily focused on the UK and the US. The studies covered a wide-range of mental health services including primary, acute care, and community settings and diverse population groups in terms of age, ethnicity, migration experiences, socio-economic class, and overall health status. Our emerging findings highlight the need for more culturally appropriate approaches in care that explicitly address anti-black institutional racism and racialised experiences, acknowledge the diversity of black men in terms of backgrounds and experiences of racialisation, and reduce mental illness stigma.Conclusion This rapid review highlights persistent barriers faced by black men in accessing and engaging with mental health services, including institutional racism, cultural stigma, and a lack of culturally competent care. Addressing these longstanding inequalities will require sustained commitment at all levels of mental health provision, from frontline services to national policy frameworks.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Patrick Nyikavaranda"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Anna Gkiouleka"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Sara Paparini"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK"
      ],
      "name": "John Ford"
    }
  ],
  "title": "P06 Improving access, experience, and outcomes for Black men in mental health services in the UK: a rapid review",
  "uid": "3b210c5f-aa7c-5619-af87-4bfff224c89c"
}