Mental Health of Elders in the Context of Islamophobia
摘要
The literature is limited on the experiences and consequences of Islamophobia in older adults. Older Muslim adults may have lifelong experiences of everyday discrimination, leading to barriers to access to care, difficulties in acculturation as immigrants, and loneliness. These factors can lead to physical and mental health consequences, including cardiovascular diseases, dementia, depression, and anxiety. Age has been identified as an important mediator of Islamophobia and its impacts on health. Older Muslim adults can also have long-standing religious beliefs about mental illness, leading to stigma and ostracization around seeking mental illness. Addressing these beliefs and experiences of Islamophobia, and providing a culturally attuned therapeutic environment are important in the mental health care of older adults. Inclusion of family members and Imams can also help mitigate barriers to mental health care of older Muslim adults.