Social Justice and the Mental Health of the Black Community

2020 has been a rough year for the world and especially the black community. While the pandemic has posed and is still posing a major threat to all members of the world population, research shows that black people are more at risk than any other group. According to the Guardian, black people are four times more likely to die from the coronavirus than white people. This situation coupled with the major social injustice issues that the black community has been faced with over the years has made a negative impact on the mental health of members of the black community.

Social injustice issues have been greatly highlighted in 2020. The deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and several others who have died as a result of police brutality have been topics of much discussion and protest this year. These issues along with the fear of the disproportionate COVID-19 death rates have placed the black community in a psychological whirlwind.

You may be wondering how there could possibly be a connection between social injustice and mental health. Michael Sheppard has written an article in the British Journal of Social Work that speaks to this matter. The article is titled ‘Mental Health and Social Justice: Gender, Race and Psychological Consequences of Unfairness’ and was published in September 2002. Here is what Sheppard had to say on the link that exists between social injustice and mental health:

It is not immediately obvious how social justice might relate to mental health. Mental health or ill health is, by some, though to be inherent within the individual, whereas social justice, as its name indicates, resides within the realm of the social. However, where we understand social justice as, on the other hand, an issue involving equality and fairness, and on the other as having both material and symbolic dimensions it becomes clear that there is an important link.

The Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health has reported that African Americans are 10% more likely to face serious psychological distress than members of other races. Many psychologists and other experts believe that the alarming mental health statistics within the black community will continue to raise without the backing of increased access to appropriate coping mechanisms. 

Black and African American Community Statistics 

13.4% of the entire population in the United States of America classify themselves as Black or African American. This accounts for approximately 46 million of the people living in the United States. Another 2.7% of the population identify as multiracial. According to recent census data, more than half (55%) of the entire black and African American population in the U.S. live in the South. 18% can be found living in the Midwest, 17% are living in the Northeast and the remaining 10% of the black community resides in the West.

In 1980, the black immigrant population in America was recorded at 816,000 individuals. In 2016, there were 4.2 million black immigrants living in the United States. 39% of this number were from the Caribbean. 

It has also been reported that as of 2017, only 24% of the Black and African American population have a first degree (bachelor’s degree) or higher. More than 20% of the Black and African American population in the United States are living in poverty as at a 2018 report.  Another challenging statistic of the Black and African American Community is that approximately 30% of the households within the black population are led by women compared to 9% of white homes.

The Impact of Slavery on Black Mental Health

The Black and African American population have faced one of the most severe racial crimes. The historical challenges that the community has faced such as slavery, sharecropping, and other race-related discrimination from health, education, social, and economic resources results in an unstable socioeconomic status. This then translates to mental health issues. This challenge is then multiplied in the experience of blacks who are living in poverty, homeless, in jail, or struggle with substance abuse and places. 

While we cannot ignore that major progress has been made in the realm of reducing social injustice, racism continues to negatively impact the mental wellness for members of the Black and African American community. there is a notable decrease in negative stereotypes and rejection, but these are still present in how black people are handled in the U.S. The long tradition and experience that the black community has faced have birthed a mistrust of authorities of all levels. These people are seen by members of the Black and African American community as not have their well-being at heart.

Modern Discrimination Fuels Mental Health Challenges

The stress that results from racism naturally results in psychological reactions from the Black community. This response then results in a raise of certain health issues such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. In addition to discrimination and racism, the black community also faces barriers that minimize their prospects of accessing appropriate mental health services. These barriers include but are not limited to stigma and a lack of trust of providers. 

Yolo Akili Robinson, the executive director of Black Emotional and Mental Health (BEAM) was asked about the unique barriers that members of the Black and African American community face when trying to access mental health care. Here is his response:

The biggest systemic-level barriers that many black people face are access and community. When I say access, I mean having health insurance and money for a co-pay; having transportation to get to and from services (especially in rural communities); and finding culturally competent, sensitive enrollment processes that take into consideration the burden and fear that engaging therapy will bring up for many in our community.  

Another barrier is the community. When our churches teach us that we can pray it all away, or our families believe that a "whoopin" or discipline is the issue instead of legitimate psychological distress, they keep us from getting the care we need and the intergenerational trauma continues. These issues, compounded with the structural barriers of ableism, transphobia, racism, homophobia, and black mental health myths are considerable challenges.

This response from the BEAM executive director is very revealing and he does an incredible job of summing up the barriers. With these issues, getting appropriate mental health care is far from simple for members of the black community. 

The link between mental health and social injustice is clear. Unfortunately, the culture of racism that exists in the United States of America has had a highly negative impact on individuals of color. As groups of all backgrounds and race band together to stand up for the rights of all, it is the hope of mental health experts that racism will continue to decline so that the mental health of the members of the Black and African American community can enjoy better mental health.

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