Culture, diagnosis and comorbidity (original) (raw)

This paper discusses the comorbidity of mood and substance use disorders among American Indian and Alaska Native populations, noting that much of the existing research is epidemiological and uses standard psychiatric diagnoses without challenging their frameworks. It asserts the need for more basic research on culture and diagnosis to improve understanding and treatment within these communities. A call for collaborative efforts among anthropologists, clinicians, and epidemiologists is made to examine misdiagnosis and other underlying cultural issues in psychiatric research and practice.