The severe racial disparities in our country affects our medical institutions. It causes a plethora of issues for BIPOC from overdiagnosing Black men with schizophrenia to underdiagnosing Black men with post-traumatic stress disorder and mood disorders. There is also an issue of underdiagnosing BIPOC with ADHD. Black children were 69% less likely to receive an ADHD diagnosis than their white counterparts, and Latinx children were 50% less likely. Implicit bias harm BIPOC from receiving the quality care they deserve.

BIPOC are:

• Less likely to have access to mental health services
• Less likely to seek out services
• Less likely to receive needed care
• More likely to receive poor quality of care
• More likely to end services prematurely

For many years, being gay was listed as a medical condition in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic (APA) and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The APA eventually removed homosexuality from the DSM in 1973. Listing homosexuality as a mental disorder prevented many LGBTQ+ individuals from receiving quality care for their mental health and in many ways, caused more mental health issues.

Our history affects our present. The history of racism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia linger in our society today. It is crucial and vital that we take a moment to reflect on how we can create a better society, so that everyone receives the proper care they rightfully deserve and need. This month is a time for reflection, a time to organize, and a time to shine a light on the medical disparities marginalized communities have to endure.

Alarming Statistics

Native Americans/Alaska Natives

• In 2014, approximately 21% of NA/ANs (Native American and Alaska Natives) ages 18 and up reported past-year mental illness, compared with 17.9% for the general population.
• In 2014, suicide was the second leading cause of death for NA/ANs between the ages 10 and 34. Suicide was the leading cause of death for NA/AN girls between ages of 10 and 14; in NA/AN females from ages 15 to 19, rates of completed suicides were almost 4 times higher than white females counterparts
• National data shows a higher prevalence and earlier initiation of drug and alcohol use among NA/AN youth ages 17 and younger, compared with all other races/ethnicities.

Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders

• Research shows that 2.7 million AA/PIs have a mental and/or substance use disorder (SUD).
• AA/PIs are least likely to seek mental health services than any other racial/ethnic group.
• AA/PIs are three times less likely to access mental health services than their white counterparts.

African Americans

• Rates of mental illnesses in African Americans are similar with those of the general population. However, disparities exist in regard to mental health care services. African Americans often receive poorer quality of care and lack access to culturally competent care.
• Only one-in-three African Americans who need mental health care receives it.
• African Americans with mental health conditions, particularly schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, and other psychoses are more likely to be incarcerated than people of other races.

Hispanic and Latinx

• Among Hispanic students in grades 9-12 in 2015: 18.9% had seriously considered attempting suicide, 15.7% had made a plan to attempt suicide, 11.3% had attempted suicide, and 4.1% had made a suicide attempt that resulted in an injury, poisoning, or overdose that required medical attention. These rates were consistently higher in Hispanic students than in white and black students.
• Hispanic children are half as likely as white children to use stimulants to treat disorders such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and attention deficit disorder (ADD).
• Additionally, 21.1% of Hispanics are uninsured, compared with 7.5% of White nonHispanic Americans.7,8 Low rates of insurance coverage for Hispanic is likely to be a function of ethnicity, immigration status, and citizenship status.

LGBTQ+

• Bisexual women similarly report worse mental health and suicidal thoughts than lesbians and heterosexual women. In comparison with heterosexual and lesbian women, bisexual women are more likely to report feeling overwhelmingly anxiety, exhaustion, and hopelessness.
• Gay men are more likely to report increased dissatisfaction and use of mental health services than heterosexuals. Patients report dissatisfaction when a clinician acts judgmental of same-sex activity, maintains anti-gay attitudes and/or displays a lack of knowledge around health concerns specific to the gay community.
• LGBTQ individuals are 2.5 times more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and substance misuse compared with heterosexual individuals