African Americans Are Socialized Around Race

Entering therapy, then, was a terrifying prospect for Mercy, filled with an infinite potential for exposure and shame. The differences between us were palpable from the start; binaries of black and white, African and American, anti-establishment and more conventionally-minded filled the room with questions of compatibility, divergent values and the weight of our disparate social identities. Though a perfunctory investigation of any feelings she had about the differences between us was quickly dismissed, the starkness of our dissimilarities haunted our interactions from the start.

A notable discrepancy exists between health care received by the black population in comparison to the white population. However, the foundation of health care inconsistencies has yet to be firmly established. Instead, conflicting views prioritize causes of health care disparities as due to social determinants or due to individual responsibility for health (Woolf & Braveman, 2011). Emerging literature also indicates that health care providers propagate disparities by employing implicit biases (Chapman, Kaatz, & Carnes, 2013; Dovidio, Fiske, 2012). This paper aims to discuss black health care disparities as a function of socially constructed beliefs that both consciously and unconsciously influence health care professionals practice.

Snowden, Lonnie R, Barriers to Effective Mental Health Services for African Americans, Vol. 3, Issue 4, 181-187 (Dec. 2001). Social Services and Welfare, Psychology

Racial classification has a possibility to expose an individual to racism and health disparities by influencing access to care, scope and quality of care, and overall health outcomes. In the United States of America, the secret codes of socioeconomic status are deeply spotted by race, causing the racial differences in socioeconomic status and becomes the main element to racial differences in health and health care (Kennedy, 2013). Many studies have indicated that African-Americans distrust medical practices and medical professionals due to a long history tied to the unethical treatment

Racism against African Americans and other ethnicities is still prevalent in our society. Salis (2015) mentions a recent poll of Caucasian and African Americans and found that sixty percent of those surveyed felt racial relationships ha vent improved and forty percent felt they were worse. In this paper, I will identify how a counselor can reduce the effects of racism and discrimination that has affected African Americans. Additionally, I will address what role a counselor plays in reducing the stigma of mental illness within the African American community. Furthermore, I will highlight the legal and ethical issues identified in the video

Finally, advocates of race-based medicine claim that the scientific underpinnings are irrelevant if a medication is proven to be effective for a particular group. In such a way, race-based medicine is a short-term solution, treating the symptoms of race-related disease without understanding the

Research also supported the data that African Americans’ perceptions of patient-physician relationships greatly contributed to their fears regarding the reoccurrence of

Over the year?s minorities have been treated differently in America. There was a point in time when people did not understand people of color and even made assumptions about them. Because of this systemic factors have been established both in the mental health and education system. Counselors had their own perception

Professional counselors are aware of the need both spiritual and physical healing. It cannot be assumed that African Americans can be counseled in the same manner as other ethnic groups because of their past ancestry. When this factor is not taken into consideration it may lead to mistaken resumption concern behavior observed in counseling. African Americans are often evaluated by white middle-class norms (Walker, 1992).  

Practitioners should be prepared to understand and account for the special needs of minorities. As reflected throughout this volume, this means that we need to consider carefully in our practice the dimensions of race and ethnicity, including not only their significance for human functioning but also their impact on service delivery. In this regard, Pecora, P. J., W. R. Seelig, F. A. Zirps, and S. M. Davis, eds. (1996) assert: "Training

also by other people in the room, despite the White participant being unaware of their own bias.4 This suggests that implicit racial/ethnic biases may not only impact a clinician’s behavior towards a Black patient, but also on how the patient perceives the interaction. The inconsistency between an implicitly biased White-person’s nonverbal cues and verbal friendliness may lead to subconscious suspicions of deceitfulness among Black patients.27 Consistent with this finding, Black patients were least satisfied with their medical encounters when their providers rated high on implicit and low on explicit bias, even compared to clinicians who were high on both implicit and explicit bias. The high-low providers were rated as less warm, friendly,

Psychology can be defined as the study of the mind and behavior. Each individual thinks differently and have different beliefs. Also, everyone has a different personality. Therefore, everyone cannot have the same treatment. Reading the statement by Duadi Azibo, I agree with the statement “White American psychology may not always be wholly relevant or applicable in the analysis or treatment of Blacks or African Americans.” There has been discrimination between White Americans and African Americans, so it would be immoral to use white psychology for the treatment of Blacks or African Americans. To treat a person of color, one must first understand the struggles that African Americans once faced. White Americans and Blacks or African Americans

In the last few decades, the media has emphasized the prevalence of racism in America. Individuals often wonder if the number of interracial police shootings have actually increased over the years, or if the availability heuristic is at play. Regardless, racial biases and the natural development of in groups and out groups continue to play a crucial role in everyday life. Miller, Zielaskowski, and Plant (2012) and DeAngelis (2009) both discussed the effects that group membership and cultural stereotypes have on behavior and overall mental health. Clinicians must be aware of how these factors influence their client’s own self-image as well as how these factors may influence the therapeutic

During this week’s activity, the class participated in a open forum discussion about the repercussions of racially charged thinking in medicine. The articles we read before class discussed the implications of preconceived notions about race and illness and how they are perceived to be connected in some way. This easily creates detrimental ideologies surrounding who is “allowed” to be diagnosed with certain diseases as well as who medical professionals may or may not test for certain illnesses based on the perceived race of the person they are treating. I think these misconceptions are fading gradually, but there are still more stigmas to overcome.

Pediatricians initiating their job may be unaware of the racism by the hospital staff, majorly white, unconsciously. Patients who are minorities may experience a sense of fear of going to the hospital to be unconsciously discriminated against and not being able to connect with someone of their race or culture. Without this connection, patients feel timid when they are not able to communicate with someone who is not of their race, gender or culture causing a border between the patient and the pediatrician. Therefore, as Dossey (2015) says “If Black doctors are marginalized, it is a cinch their patients feel marginalized as well” (para. 8). Meaning that not only minority pediatricians are discriminated, but the patients as well. To forget these patients, have health care issues because their race, culture, or socioeconomic status leads to a major healthcare disadvantage. Indeed, empathy should accompany the pediatrician when conversing the patient’s problem to create a better experience for both. “Thoughts, feelings, and behavior related to race and ethnicity play a critical role in health care disparities” (Penner, 2013, para. 1). This quote implies that it is not only the physical aspects that might be judged but also the emotional state as well. In fact, many other factors influence the unconscious racism to minorities patients and pediatricians such as “socioeconomic status, [and] language proficiency […etc.]” (Penner, 2013, pg. 4). Equally important it is to say the