COVID-19's Mental Toll on BIPOC Communities
There is no doubt that COVID-19 is a dangerous illness for everyone. With over 78 million cases since the disease began, it is crippling the U.S. Between overrun hospitals, exhausted medical personnel, and soaring prices for everything, almost all of us feel the effects. But due to existing disparities, Black people and other people of color experience, higher morbidity and death tolls of COVID-19 compared to white Americans.
Understanding the Disparity
Inequality in many areas is an ongoing problem among the Black, Indigenous, and people of color, or BIPOC, community. Understanding the levels of disparity is a step in the right direction.
Employment - BIPOC people represent a more significant percentage of service industry jobs than white people. Hospitals, nursing homes, restaurants, public transportation, grocery stores, farms, and factories were considered essential businesses and needed to remain open when other businesses closed, exposing workers to potential infection.
Gaps - There are gaps in wealth, education, and income among the BIPOC community. From generational poverty to a lack of funding for education, many minorities cannot find employment that pays well, provides sick pay, or has the option to work from home. Discrimination also plays a big part in these gaps.
Stress - Our immune systems become compromised the more pressure we experience. BIPOC are more likely to deal with food insecurity, poor housing, discrimination, violence, and poor income. These scenarios are a recipe for high stress and equate to the higher COVID numbers.
Underlying health conditions - The severity of COVID-19 often depends on the ability to fight off the illness. Underlying medical conditions come into play here. BIPOC are 1.5 - 2.0 times more likely to suffer from chronic health diseases. Often, these conditions are left untreated due to poor healthcare options and the high cost of treatment.
Bias - Prejudice, and stereotypes lead to decisions about who receives the most attention in hospitals. This means that BIPOC may not receive treatment as quickly or thoroughly as white people. Quoting the Journal of the American Medical Association: "... because only hospitalized patients were included in the analysis, the findings suggest that if access to hospital care was equitably available to all, there may be decreased or no racial and ethnic differences in mortality due to COVID-19." JAMA research also showed that higher mortality rates among Black people directly correlate to poor housing, low income, lack of funding for education, discrimination, violence, food insecurity, and untreated chronic health conditions.
The Black Community and COVID-19
Discrimination, systemic racism, and health disparities towards the Black community are age-old problems. The pandemic further highlighted the need for change. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), data collected from the CDC shows that 30% of COVID-19 cases are Black, representing 13% of the U.S. population.
COVID-19 and Mental Health on BIPOC Population
The numbers for COVID-19 are huge among African Americans. Starting at a disadvantage, Black individuals are more susceptible to COVID-19's secondary psychological implications, such as depression and anxiety. With the gap in the availability of mental health care, depression, anxiety, and suicide rates are rising quicker among the Black population.
The Washington Post reported that the COVID-19 illness and its complications and the rise in violence towards Black people show significant increases in anxiety and depression among African Americans. The Census Bureau numbers indicate a 5% increase in depression and anxiety in Black individuals in the week following the death of George Floyd.
COVID-19 and Asian American/Pacific Islanders’ Mental Health
But Black communities aren't the only ones affected by COVID and new and existing disparities. Although racism directed at Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders (AAPI) is not a new attitude, the occurrences of Asian-related hate crimes have increased significantly since the start of COVID-19. The Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism states that anti-Asian hate crimes increased by nearly 150% in 2020.
Former President Trump first referred to COVID as "the China virus" and believed it was created in a Wuhan, Chin laboratory and accidentally or purposely leaked. Investigations since then have proved to be indecisive. The Chinese government refuses to allow further studies, so answers will unlikely surface any time soon.
A 2020 study done by Healthy Minds noted that AAPI students are 17 times more likely than white individuals to be mistreated or attacked due to beliefs about the origin of COVID-19. These students experienced binge drinking, anxiety, depression, self-injury, and suicidal ideation.
Mental Health Initiatives and Resources for Members of BIPOC Communities
Mental health initiatives and resources for BIPOC individuals must be a priority. The American Rescue Plan of 2021 includes provisions to improve crisis intervention and send trained healthcare professionals into previously ignored areas. Many community-based organizations are already providing education, counseling, and longer-term mental health referrals.
Untreated mental health disorders can lead to substance use disorders without extreme changes. Eliminating the racial and economic disparities is the only option. Access to healthcare for all is an integral part of the equation, which is obvious.
An equitable care model must be established for all healthcare systems. This should include multilingual communication and a universal accessibility program. Socio-economic problems such as food insecurity, housing deficiencies, better legal representation, and access to education and training must be addressed. Healthcare systems could include a connection to community resources to help solve these problems.
Minority groups have paid the price of discrimination for far too long. It's time for the nation to live up to the claim of liberty and justice for all.
Sources
nytimes.com - Coronavirus in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count
mhanational.org - BIPOC Communities And COVID-19
cdc.gov - Health Equity Considerations and Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups
mhanational.org - BIPOC Communities And COVID-19
jamanetwork.com - Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Related to COVID-19
csusb.edu - FACT SHEET: Anti‐Asian Prejudice March 2020 – Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism
frontiersin.org - The Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 Racial and Ethnic Discrimination Against Asian American and Pacific Islanders
samhsa.gov - Double Jeopardy: COVID-19 and Behavioral Health Disparities for Black and Latino Communities in the U.S.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov - Coronavirus Trauma and African Americans’ Mental Health: Seizing Opportunities for Transformational Change
washingtonpost.com - Depression and anxiety spiked among black Americans after George Floyd’s death
lincolnrecovery.com - Treatment: Inpatient
jamanetwork.com - Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Related to COVID-19