KFF Health News (8/1, Giles) reports, “Clinicians from various ethnic groups have recently begun to draw a direct line between colorism and poor health,” pointing to a 2023 KFF survey which “found that, among Black and Hispanic adults, those with self-described darker skin tones reported more experiences with discrimination in daily life compared with those who have lighter skin tones.” Due to the potential health implications of this data, “the health care system should pay more attention to colorism, said Regina James, a child and adolescent psychiatrist who heads the American Psychiatric Association’s Division of Diversity and Health Equity.” While “clinical approaches that incorporate cultural competence” are an important step, “therapists, doctors, and other clinicians from diverse backgrounds say that…more efforts are needed to diversify the pool of mental health practitioners and to collaborate between disciplines.”
Related Links:
— “‘I feel dismissed’: People experiencing colorism say health system fails them,”Chaseedaw Giles, KFF Health News, August 1, 2024