Keeping Color in Mind: Racial Disparities within Mental Health Care

Abstract

Health is a fundamental human right, not a privilege, or is it? Systematic issues curated throughout history have fostered the existence of public health disparities at all levels. Still, the level of impact and who it has affected most almost directly correlates with the color of one’s skin. While medical health inequality remains a pressing matter for disadvantaged groups, the mental health concern for people of color (POCs) is neither researched nor discussed enough. Despite the multitude of barriers, it is critical to address mental well-being to prevent and eliminate suicides, introduce strategies to reduce the impacts of mental illness and consider the role that race has when administering tests and treatment. The review of relevant literature will analyze the current research done on racial prejudices and how they adversely affect marginalized groups, why they continue to exist despite prior efforts, and proposed solutions to challenge these discrepancies. Its objective is to increase awareness and education regarding mental health disparities and how they relate to people of color to ultimately aid in diminishing the continuation of these unjust practices and catalyze vital changes in both POCs’ right to impartial access and quality of mental health care.