Ignorance and fear about health problems such as depression, diabetes and heart disease are putting many people in Merton's 30,000 ethnic minority population at risk.

Merton Council has raised concerns about access to health services in the borough in its three-year race equality plan.

Some sections of the borough's total population enjoy very good health and access to healthcare while other communities are experiencing multiple levels of deprivation, including high rates of teenage pregnancy, death and avoidable illness.

Dr Tasneem Mohammadally, co-ordinator of Merton's Ethnic Minority Centre in Mitcham, said some Asian women encountered difficulties in trying to talk to GPs about their problems and getting access to further treatment.

She added: "They are often unable to explain what their problems are. In the last few years GPs have become more aware of the difficulties that this group of people face and what they need to do to help them and understand their situation."

There is sometimes a language barrier, not necessarily because people can't speak English, although 101 languages are spoken in the borough, but because in some languages modern ailments such as isolation and depression simply are not recognised.

Dr Mohammadally said: "People don't know how to express how they feel and complain of all sorts of things and doctors are not picking it up.

"It is improving but it's all a matter of increasing awareness. People are encouraged to take somebody with them when they go to the doctors.

"Changing lifestyles have brought a number of illnesses that people in the Asian and black communities were not aware of such as diabetes and heart problems."

Dr Mohammadally, a gynaecologist, said some women did not understand information sent to them about issues such as cervical screening and added that men were in the dark about health problems such as prostate cancer.

The Ethnic Minority Centre held Merton's first prostate cancer awareness day earlier this year and a mental health open day is planned for October.

Dr Mohammadally added: "A lot of people are still not accepting it as something that can be openly discussed. There's no need to be ashamed."

July 8, 2002 10:00