User:October2222/Mental health inequality

Mental Health Needs in the Latino October2222 (talk) 14:22, 29 March 2022 (UTC)Community

Mental Health Needs in the Latino Community During the early 2010's the Latino Community experienced an increase in cases of mental health disorders. Studies have shown that Latinos are more likely to present early symptoms of mental health disorders than non Latino-whites[[1]]. Among Latinos, those without a legal status in the United States suffer a higher burden of being diagnose with a mental health disorders as their journey to the country has caused them to experience traumatizing events including sexual abuse, kidnapping, and the constant fear of deportation. Consequently, undocumented Latinos have a lower access to mental healthcare than U.S born Latinos because of the current political restrictions against this community [[2]]

Aging LGBTQ+ Community

Although mental health awareness has increased for the LGTBQ+ community, the aging citizens of this community are still struggling to have their voices heard. Research has shown that compared to heterosexuals and other groups in the LGBTQ+ community, older people have a higher incidence of suffering from mental health disorder[[3]]. One of the most common reasons why older citizens refrain from seeking mental health care is due to the past discrimination by medical professionals. In addition to the lack of knowledge, this group is marginalized due to the lack of funding as most of the funds go to campaigns for the younger LGBTQ+ population [[4]].

Pregnancy and Mental Health

Women are at a high risk of experiencing mental health disorders during their pregnancy, however, most physicians do not address this until the postpartum period. With anxiety and depression being the most common ones, these disorders can affect both the mother and the baby's life. [6] The most common reasons for mental health disorders in this community were domestic abuse, fear of loneliness and previous medical history of mental disorders[[5]]. The Covid-19 pandemic was a difficult time for pregnant women as isolation, one of the main causes for anxiety and depression, was mandated. Studies showed that during the pandemic, while the mental health of middle class pregnant women living in New York City improved, pregnant women living under a low socioeconomic status were more vulnerable to suffer from psychological disorders [[6]]

Mental Health in the African American Community

The historical events that took place in the United States against African Americans have resulted in a distrust in the healthcare system. The stigma of mental healthcare in the African American community has caused an increased prevalence of these disorders as surveys have found that 12 million women and 7 million men suffer from some kind of mental health illness. Besides being the most vulnerable race to contract the Covid-19 virus, they also presented a higher incidence of mental health disorders. Research has shown that this community reacts better to treatment when it is offered by healthcare professionals as an alternative to other treatments[[7]].

References

Bucay-Harari, Linda; Page, Kathleen R.; Krawczyk, Noa; Robles, Yvonne P.; Castillo-Salgado, Carlos (2020-07-01). "Mental Health Needs of an Emerging Latino Community". The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research. 47 (3): 388–398. doi:10.1007/s11414-020-09688-3. ISSN 1556-3308.

Hoy-Ellis, Charles P.; Ator, Michael; Kerr, Christopher; Milford, Jessica (2016). "Innovative Approaches Address Aging and Mental Health Needs in LGBTQ Communities". Generations (San Francisco, Calif.). 40 (2): 56–62. ISSN 0738-7806. PMC 5375170. PMID 28366982.

Jha, Shreya; Salve, Harshal R.; Goswami, Kiran; Sagar, Rajesh; Kant, Shashi (2018-08-01). "Burden of common mental disorders among pregnant women: A systematic review". Asian Journal of Psychiatry. 36: 46–53. doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2018.06.020. ISSN 1876-2018.

Silverman, Michael E.; Medeiros, Cathryn; Burgos, Laudy (2020-12-01). "Early pregnancy mood before and during COVID-19 community restrictions among women of low socioeconomic status in New York City: a preliminary study". Archives of Women's Mental Health. 23 (6): 779–782. doi:10.1007/s00737-020-01061-9. ISSN 1435-1102. PMC 7447087. PMID 32844329.

Snowden, L. R., & Snowden, J. M. (2021). Coronavirus Trauma and African Americans' Mental Health: Seizing Opportunities for Transformational Change. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(7), 3568. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073568

Ward, Earlise; Wiltshire, Jacqueline C.; Detry, Michelle A.; Brown, R. L. (2013). "African American Men and Women's Attitude Toward Mental Illness, Perceptions of Stigma, and Preferred Coping Behaviors". Nursing research. 62 (3): 185–194. doi:10.1097/NNR.0b013e31827bf533. ISSN 0029-6562. PMC 4279858. PMID 23328705.

Yarns, Brandon C.; Abrams, Janet M.; Meeks, Thomas W.; Sewell, Daniel D. (2016-05-04). "The Mental Health of Older LGBT Adults". Current Psychiatry Reports. 18 (6): 60. doi:10.1007/s11920-016-0697-y. ISSN 1535-1645.