Projects

CAMINO uses a pathways to care approach to map the sequence of steps taken by Latin American people in London from the onset of distress to their engagement with mental health services.

Latin Americans represent one of the fastest-growing population in the UK, yet there is very little research focused on understanding their mental health needs. Existing research focuses on Latin American migrants living in the USA, so we know very little about the experiences of their counterparts in the UK.

This community faces unique challenges such as language barriers, immigration issues, discrimination and acculturation pressures, all of which can impact their mental health and ability to access support. Without a thorough understanding of how these issues impact their mental health and wellbeing, it is difficult for clinicians and healthcare providers to offer accessible and effective mental healthcare. The “No Longer Invisible” report (McIlwaine, Cock, & Linneker, 2011), which details a comprehensive study profiling the needs of the Latin American community in London, brings this issue to light, showing that many Latin Americans either face exclusion from public services or opt out due to mistrust and dissatisfaction. 

The CAMINO study therefore aims to address this research gap by exploring how Latin Americans living in the UK seek help for their mental health needs. To answer this, the study is using mixed methods to document the steps that individuals from the Latin American community take to access mental health care. Information from interviews and a survey will be used to create a visual representation of the pathways to care, using process mapping software, Celonis, to create the visual map.  

This project is part of the Open Mind Network initiatives directed by Dr. Norha Vera San Juan, and counts with the support of the Colombian Consulate in London.