BIPOC Mental Health Statistics: Disparities For Black, Indigenous, And People Of Color
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Mental health challenges can impact everyone, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, or past experiences. However, access to quality health care can differ for each individual. People in BIPOC communities – which stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color – may face disparities when it comes to accessing quality mental health services. Often rooted in systemic issues, these disparities can impact things like health care insurance coverage. This article explores BIPOC mental health statistics, current disparities in health care, and challenges that BIPOC individuals may face when seeking mental health treatment.
A look at BIPOC mental health today
In today's society, the mental well-being of BIPOC communities can be shaped by experiences of racial injustice, exposure to discrimination, and economic instability. Research suggests that discrimination toward BIPOC individuals can lead to mental health consequences. Some of these consequences include mental, chronic, and physical health conditions, which can have a long-lasting impact on community resilience.
Disparities in BIPOC mental health
Research emphasizes how various disparities, including health disparities, socioeconomic inequality, systemic racism, and limited access to mental health providers, can impact mental health outcomes. These disparities can affect how BIPOC individuals experience the health care system.
Socioeconomic factors for BIPOC mental health
Socioeconomic factors, such as income level, employment status, and education level, can impact mental health. For example, low-income households may not be able to afford health insurance or specific mental health resources. In addition, unemployment, which disproportionately affects BIPOC individuals, tends to be associated with poor mental health. Therefore, BIPOC individuals, who may face socioeconomic hardship in everyday life, may be at greater risk of certain mental health challenges.
Discrimination and stigma amongst BIPOC communities
Discrimination can take place in both public and closed-door settings, including local hospitals, workplaces, and education settings, and it often takes a mental health toll on its target. Recent studies find that discrimination can be associated with depression, anxiety, and rumination. Other mental health disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, may also develop in BIPOC individuals who have experienced discrimination. Additionally, stigma in BIPOC communities about seeking mental health care can discourage individuals from accessing the mental health support they deserve.
Key disparities in BIPOC mental health
Despite rising awareness of BIPOC mental health, disparities in diagnosis, access, and treatment still exist for many BIPOC communities. These disparities may reflect structural issues within the mental health care system that have been shaped by systemic racism and oppression.
What statistics say about systemic gaps in BIPOC mental health
Current research suggests the following health care disparities exist today, reinforcing the need for inclusive, responsive, and culturally-informed behavioral health care:
- Black and Hispanic individuals are less than half as likely to receive care for depression as White individuals.
- Black adults had the highest percentage of emergency department (ED) visits between 2018 and 2020.
- It’s more common for Black and Hispanic patients to be physically restrained than their White counterparts.
- Due to various reasons, Black youth with mental health disorders are less likely to receive treatment than non-Black youth.
Barriers to treatment for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
When seeking health care, BIPOC individuals may be restricted by systemic and cultural barriers. This may include anything from the financial burden of health care to the lack of culturally competent care. Without accessible, culturally aware support, many BIPOC individuals may miss out on effective health care interventions during times of need.
Common barriers to treatment
Below are a few common barriers to treatment:
- Distrust in health care institutions, which may be due to a lack of culturally appropriate care
- A preference to handle challenges on their own, often seen in Asian American individuals
- The cost of health care, which can be a financial burden for Black and Hispanic individuals in particular
- A lack of time to attend health care interventions, despite their potential for mental health benefits
BIPOC youth and mental health
BIPOC youth who have experienced racism, discrimination, or instability in early life may be especially vulnerable to certain mental health disorders. As well as impacting their development, discriminatory experiences can shape how BIPOC youth view themselves and interact with others. However, schools and community programs have an opportunity to provide culturally competent and compassionate care for BIPOC youth.
Using research to foster equity
As highlighted earlier in the article, BIPOC individuals tend to be less likely to seek mental health treatment. However, according to Mental Health America, over 20% of the population lives with a mental health condition, including people of various races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Research can further identify trends in mental illness, behavioral health, and social well-being across America, highlighting how each and every individual deserves access to fair mental health treatment. When it comes to providing equitable health care, research can be used to support policy making, clinical training, funding for decisions, and more.
Culturally competent care for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
Due to a variety of factors, including system mistrust, stigma, and negative help-seeking attitudes, BIPOC individuals may be less likely to receive mental health treatment than their White counterparts. One way to bridge the gap between BIPOC and White individuals when it comes to seeking treatment may be to develop culturally competent care. This form of care requires health care professionals to have the ability, knowledge, and resources to help people from various cultural backgrounds.
Online therapy for BIPOC communities
Regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic background, online therapy can provide an opportunity to receive compassionate health care. Since platforms like BetterHelp offer flexible scheduling and financial aid to those who qualify, mental health care can be more affordable and accessible for all. With a vast network of available therapists, BIPOC individuals can connect with providers who understand their background, identity, and lived experience.
Can online therapy support BIPOC mental health?
Since online therapy eliminates certain barriers to care, it is often an easier way for BIPOC individuals to attend and maintain therapy sessions. Research supports the use of online therapy as a form of treatment for a variety of mental health conditions, suggesting that it produces the same outcomes as traditional in-person therapy.
Takeaway
Which race has the highest mental health rate?
According to a 2019 study, White Americans have the highest lifetime prevalence of mental disorders (45.6%). Other races have varying prevalence rates, with Latinos at 38.8%, Black Americans at 37%, and Asian Americans at 23.5%.
What is mental health in the Black community?
The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that Black or African Americans often experience emotional distress and unique mental health challenges. Past research suggests that one in three African American adults with mental illness received mental health treatment.
What is the BIPOC treatment?
“BIPOC treatment” may refer to BIPOC therapy, which generally involves compassionate, culturally-responsive mental health care. Mental Health America offers a variety of resources related to this topic.
Why is mental health a taboo in the Black community?
Some sources suggest that mental health stigma among Black individuals is rooted in slavery. At that time, it was believed that enslaved people weren’t sophisticated enough to develop mental health disorders. People experiencing symptoms of depression and other conditions often passed them off as tiredness or stress.
How can you support BIPOC mental health?
Fostering open conversations about mental health to reduce stigma in our daily lives may be helpful. Promoting culturally competent care can also be crucial.
What are the struggles of the BIPOC?
A few struggles that a BIPOC person may encounter include racism, discrimination, economic disparities, and lack of access to quality mental and physical health care. Racial disparities in mental health care can prevent people from receiving the care they deserve.
What are the barriers to mental health services among ethnic minorities?
Potential barriers to mental health services among ethnic minorities include the following:
- Cost
- Lack of insurance
- Lack of local treatment services
- Discrimination
- Language/cultural barriers
- Stigma
Why are mental health results so different for BIPOC populations compared to others?
There are multiple factors that likely contribute to differences in mental health outcomes for BIPOC populations. For example, mental health stigma, cultural barriers, poverty level, and discrimination can affect whether a person receives quality mental health care.
How can you find a BIPOC therapist?
One way to find a BIPOC therapist may be to look through directories of mental health professionals in your local area. You might also consider trying online therapy, which may enable you to specify that you’d prefer to work with a BIPOC therapist.
What ethnicity struggles the most with mental health?
Although statistics suggest that White people experience the highest rates of mental illness, it’s possible that mental health disorders could be underdiagnosed in people of other races. However, regardless of race, it can be crucial to ensure everyone has access to quality mental health care, especially considering that the suicide rate seems to be increasing.
As of 2022, the Centers for Disease Control reported that suicide was the third leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 24, so increased suicide prevention efforts may be vital. Suicidal ideation can affect people from any background. An online screening may be one of the quickest and easiest ways to identify suicidal thoughts and mental health concerns among a wide variety of individuals.
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