Introduction
Individuals of marginalized identities face disparities in various aspects of mental health care, including quality of care, accessibility of care, healthcare outcomes, and severity of mental health issues.
Developing Hypothesis
- People with marginalized identities are affected by overt and systematic discrimination.
- Challenges faced by marginalized people negatively affect their mental and physical health
- Discrimination and systematic injustice contribute to a lack of care accessibility
- Lack of access, combined with various types of discrimination, impacts mental health wellness and quality
Literature Review
A considerable number of current research focuses on the impact marginalization and identity have on healthcare. While the idea that certain groups of people may not receive an adequate level of care was previously explored in research, the recent pandemic and political changes within the country have opened up more opportunities for exploration. Waters & Lee (2021), for example, discuss the implications of anti-Asian racism, which has increased considerably with the start of the pandemic. Asian-American individuals in the US have reported feelings of depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders (Waters & Lee, 2021). Racism experienced throughout their daily lives makes it more difficult for this population to handle the debilitating effects of the pandemic, as well as navigate social situations. Similarly, other populations, such as black women, experience discrimination and mistreatment (Jones et al., 2021). Intersectional discrimination experienced by this population amplifies the severity of the problem, making black women uniquely endangered by the medical system.
The trends of identity-based disparity and discrimination apply to concepts separate from race or ethnicity. For example, healthcare for trans prisoners is considered in a research article by Miller et al., (2020). The authors discuss the fact that trans inmates do not receive an adequate level of care because of the prison system’s incapability of supporting their needs, in addition to discrimination faced by staff and other prisoners. Much like other marginalized populations, trans people experience a variety of negative health outcomes based on their identity.
Methodology
In order to affirm the proposed hypothesis, it is necessary to examine the available body of literature regarding the subject. The articles highlighted and discussed in the literature review section will become a foundation of the main argument of the paper, contributing to the discussion of healthcare disparities connected with identity.
Results
According to the information found in the examined articles, individual identity, race, gender, sexuality, and other defining features play a central role in determining the quality of healthcare they receive. Certain groups, such as black women face bigger challenges than others, affecting both their mental and physical wellbeing (Jones, 2021). In order to improve the outcomes of vulnerable populations, it is necessary to introduce change capable of combatting systematic injustice. In addition, it is vital to create comfortable and flexible spaces for people of different identities to receive the support they require.
References
How can we provide quality care for incarcerated transgender individuals? (2021). PsycEXTRA Dataset. Web.
Jones, M. S., Womack, V., Jérémie-Brink, G., & Dickens, D. D. (2021). Gendered racism and mental health among young adult U.S. Black women: The moderating roles of gendered racial identity centrality and identity shifting. Sex Roles, 85(3-4), 221-231. Web.
McQuaid, E. L., & Everhart, R. S. (2020). Introduction to the special issue: Clinical approaches to address health disparities in pediatric psychology. Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology, 8(2), 97-102. Web.
Miller, S. L., Hodges, R. M., & Wilner, L. L. (2020). Transgender inmates: A systems-based model for assessment and treatment planning. Psychological Services, 17(4), 384-392. Web.
Waters, S., & Lee, S. (2021). Anti-Asian racism takes a toll on health. PsycEXTRA Dataset. Web.