The Impact of Culture on the Mental Health of Ethnic Minority from Nigeria living in the United Kingdom

The mental health of ethnic minorities is important in a multicultural society because it is necessary to try to understand different perspectives in order to formulate inclusive policies. It has been well established that culture has an impact on mental health and that mental health workers should have a due regard for the culture of all those that they provide professional care. Although a lot of research has been presented on various aspects of the mental health of ethnic minorities in the UK, those who have had roots in Africa have been a neglected community. The British have had a very old relationship with Nigeria, which is the most populous country in Africa, and this country was a former British colony. It has been estimated that there are now about 800,000 to 3 million people of Nigerian decent who live in the UK. This dissertation presents a study that attempts to examine the impact of culture on the mental health of the Nigerian British.