SYMPOSIA

[KL-04]
Transcultural psychiatry: Practice and sample cases in USA and status in Turkiye
Alican Dalkilic
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA & SEH, Washington, DC, USA
E-mail: E-mail: drdalkilic@gmail.com
Bulletin of Clinical Psychopharmacology, Vol: 21, Supplement: 2, 2011 - www.psikofarmakoloji.org
Abstracts of the Invited Speakers
Culture refers to unique behavior patterns and lifestyle shared by a group of people that distinguish it from other groups. The views, beliefs, values, and
attitudes of a group characterize their culture. Culture and people influence and interact with each other reciprocally (1). In clinical practice patient’s
culture, physician’s culture, and medical culture play a significant role. Adequate and appropriate understanding of cultural dimensions is essential for
culturally competent practice (1). Also the impact of culture in evaluation and treatment of children and adolescents is significant in psychiatric patients (2).
Cultural competency is a requirement for medical licensure in most states the US. To prove clinical competency clinicians are required
demonstrate cultural competency. Clinicians typically work in multicultural and multiethnic societies (1). Ongoing globalization and
interconnection of economies and rapidly spreading new social media platforms will increase diversity in all communities, but especially
in developing countries including Turkiye. Therefore cultural competency training should be incorporated into residency training and
continuous medical education systems especially for mental health clinicians.
Clinicians should be familiar with culturally relevant relations and interactions of their patients (1), in order to establish therapeutic alliance and
provide competent care and therapy besides demonstrating cultural sensitivity, knowledge, and empathy. Also most psychotherapies are based
on Euro-American values of individualistic and egocentric concept, which can be contrasted with more sociocentric, ecocentric, and cosmocentric
views (3). This issue should be taken into consideration when treating patients from other cultures or subcultures in the US and Europe.
In this presentation I will review transcultural psychiatry practice in the US, provide and discuss some cases and summarize the status in Turkiye.
Key words: Transcultural psychiatry, Turkish American cases, transcultural psychiatry in USA
References:
1. Focus, winter 2006 Vol. IV. No. 1, 81-89. Introduction: Culture and Psychiatry. Tseng W-S, Streltzer J.
2. Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2010 Oct;19(4):661-80. Culture and development in children and youth. Pumariega AJ, Joshi SV.
3. Transcult Psychiatry. 2007 Jun;44(2):232-57. Psychotherapy and the cultural concept of the person. Kirmayer LJ
Bulletin of Clinical Psychopharmacology 2011;21(Suppl. 2):S37
[KL-05]
Medical marijuana use in psychiatry
Tahir Tellioglu
Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital Dept Psychiatry, Providence USA
E-mail: TTellioglu@Lifespan.org
Medical marijuana refers to the use of parts of the cannabis plant or synthetic forms of specific cannabinoids as a physician-recommended
form of medicine. The cannabis plant has been known to have medicinal use as an analgesic, appetite stimulant, antiemetic, muscle
relaxant and anticonvulsant agent. A number of clinical studies, some disputed, claim that cannabinoids present an interesting
therapeutic potential as antiemetics, appetite stimulants in debilitating diseases (cancer and AIDS) and analgesics, and in the treatment
of multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, Tourette’s syndrome, epilepsy and glaucoma.
Despite its illegality, patients have continued to obtain cannabis on the black market for self-medication for its self reported anti-anxiety
or antidepressant effects. A survey of 3,000 patients in California from 1993-2000 revealed about 27% of individuals used it primarily for
psychiatric conditions such as as an antidepressant or anxiolytic.
Understanding the mechanisms of action of cannabinoids has revived therapeutic interest in these substances. However, clinical studies
about the use of cannabis for psychiatric conditions are very limited. Further clinical trials, well-designed, carefully executed, and powered
for efficacy, are essential to clearly define the role of cannabinoids in the treatment of psychiatric conditions.
Key words: Medical marijuana, cannabis, psychiatric disorders
Bulletin of Clinical Psychopharmacology 2011;21(Suppl. 2):S37
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