The following course is intended to educate behavioral healthcare professionals on the impact of racial trauma and how to address it with patients. Local and international events in 2020 sparked a national reckoning with racism’s effects on the health and well-being of people of color in the United States (US).
Over the past three years, the COVID-19 epidemic has disproportionately harmed Asian, Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities. Additionally, these differences can be linked to a long history of US laws and practices that led to members of these communities having multigenerational households, a larger reliance on public transit, and a higher proportion of front-line employment with a higher risk of COVID-19 exposure.
Disturbingly, the COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with a significant rise in anti-Asian racism, which has culminated in almost 3800 attacks on people of Asian descent. Furthermore, the American Public Health Association (APHA) considers racism a public health crisis.
What You’ll Learn
- Introduction to racial trauma
- Why inquire about racism?
- Addressing racial trauma with patients
- Approaches to discussing racism with patients
- Considerations for discussing racism with patients
- Screening for discrimination
Details
Course length: 30 minutes
Languages: American English
Key features: Audio narration, learning activity, and post-assessment.
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How are HCP Addressing Racial Trauma?
A large number of medical organizations and professional associations have reiterated their dedication to combating racism and promoting health equity. In addition, healthcare institutions are taking a wide range of approaches to their commitment, ranging from attempting to address racial prejudices and injustices inside their institutions to combating structural racism by addressing social determinants of health in the community. Directly discussing the effects of racism and other forms of prejudice with patients is receiving more focus as a result of this.
Impact of Racism
“Racism is a system of structuring opportunity and assigning value based on the social interpretation of how one looks (race),” according to Camara Phyllis Jones, MD, MPH, former president of the APHA. The system unfairly disadvantages some people and communities while unfairly benefiting others. Racism also exists on many different social levels, and it is crucial to understand all of its characteristics.
Additionally, when students are reminded of their racial or ethnic group, racism can become internalized and manifest as poorer test scores. This is an example of a stereotype threat. Racism can also manifest in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to:
- At the interpersonal level, when racial bias manifests between people.
- At the institutional level (schools, workplaces, etc.), where racial imbalances can frequently be caused by discriminatory practices.
- At the structural level, which takes into consideration the accumulative historical and societal conditions that have resulted in the systematic disadvantage of specific ethnic groups.
Moreover, racism and discrimination are fundamental determinants of health and illness. Stress caused by discrimination can affect both physical and mental well-being. The bodily harm associated with long-term stress can lead to several adverse health effects, including impaired cardiovascular health, a lowered immune system, etc.
Discussing Racism with Patients
Beyond mistrust of the healthcare system, racism, and discrimination have led to significant trauma. An investigation into the link between racism and trauma revealed a moderate to strong positive correlation between racial discrimination experiences and trauma symptoms. Moreover, intergenerational trauma as well as lifetime experiences of racism and discrimination are both included in race-based trauma.
What is trauma-informed care? Trauma-informed care is a method for addressing racism-related trauma with patients. This care method also acknowledges and addresses the overlap and cumulative impacts of both interpersonal and structural forms of violence on people’s lives and health. Trauma-informed treatment has been useful and effective in cases of intimate partner or gender-based violence. It’s also included in social services, behavioral health, and medical settings. Furthermore, race-based traumatic stress injury is a consideration in mental healthcare. Through this course, you will learn more about how to help patients with racial trauma and understand how to help.
