It is everybody’s right to be heard: Social exclusion and mental health
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1
INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY, NATIONAL ACADEMY OF EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES OF UKRAINE, KYIV, UKRAINE
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TARAS SHEVCHENKO NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF KYIV, KYIV, UKRAINE
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VASYL STEFANYK CARPATHIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, IVANO-FRANKIVSK, UKRAINE
Publication date: 2026-05-29
Wiadomości Lekarskie 2026;(5):1111-1120
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Aim: This paper aims to reveal the essence of social exclusion and examine its impact on mental health.
Materials and Methods: The authors used interpretive research paradigm, integrative anthropological approach, and hermeneutical approach.
The data collection was carried out using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar databases. Research papers were identified according to search
terms: “social exclusion”, “social inclusion”, “mental health”, “well-being”, “discrimination”, “prejudice”, “social injustice”, “racial discrimination”, “poverty”, “values”,
“Other”, “belonging”, “depression”, “anxiety”, “anger”, “hopelessness”, “intersectionality”. From the entire available literature, 65 sources were selected according
to specified criteria, such as “an intersectional approach to social exclusion” and “the negative consequences of social exclusion through the lens of mental
health and well-being”. A limitation was that the authors used only sources available in English during study selection due to the time-saving factor, as well
as human resources factor.
Conclusions: Tackling social exclusion, which has a detrimental effect on physical and mental health and undermines human dignity, requires concerted
efforts at all levels of society. Today, it is especially important to develop a long-term transdisciplinary strategy, which addresses the multiple and overlapping
disadvantages experienced by excluded groups. Social institutions, which guide people’s behavior through norms, are key to strategies for combating social
exclusion. It is necessary to consider the actual mechanisms at work in terms of social exclusion, as well as interventions at the level of groups or individuals.
Addressing discriminatory behavior alone or one type of inequality can lead to certain changes, however, these changes will not be decisive for underprivileged
groups, as quite often negative stereotypes and prejudices, which impede social inclusion, are expressed in subtle ways. At the same time, addressing values
that underlie exclusion and discrimination may be more effective and have more far-reaching consequences. The goal and outcome of these extensive responses
to the acute problem of social exclusion is to create a global inclusive society where all voices are heard, and the voice of the “Other” is as significant as yours.