Racism as a Unique Social Determinant of Mental Health: Development of a Didactic Curriculum for Psychiatry Residents

• DOI: 10.15766/mep_2374-8265.10618
• Publication Date: 2017-08-12T17:40:35Z
• Authors: Morgan Medlock; Anna Weissman; Shane Shucheng Wong; Andrew Carlo; Mary Zeng; Christina Borba; Michael Curry; Derri Shtasel
• Keywords: Institutional racism

Mental health disparities based on minority racial status are well characterized, including inequities in access, symptom severity, diagnosis, and treatment. For African Americans, racism may affect mental through factors such as poverty segregation, which have operated since slavery. While the need to address medical training has been recognized, there few examples of formal didactic curricula psychiatric literature. Antiracism didactics during psychiatry residency provide a unique opportunity equip physicians bias care.With advocacy by residents Massachusetts General Hospital/McLean Psychiatry program, Division Public Community developed curriculum addressing health, particularly those experienced Americans. Four 50-minute interactive lectures were integrated into required (one lecture per postgraduate class) 2015-2016 academic year.Of who attended provided anonymous feedback, 97% agreed that discussing was at least "somewhat" positive, 92% it should "probably" or "definitely" remain curriculum. Qualitative feedback centered for more time discuss desire learn about general.Teaching part conveys explicit message this is core curricular material critical knowledge all physicians. These can serve springboard dissemination scaffolding similar development programs.