Pharmaceutical Side Effects and Mental Health Among Racial-Ethnic Minorities (1 CE)

Number of Credits: 1

This course is for:  Clinical Psychologists, Counselors, and Nurses

Course By: Tamara Avery, PsyD

Content By: Schnittker, J. & Do, D. (2020). Pharmaceutical side effects and mental health paradoxes among racial-ethnic minorities. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 61(1), 4-23. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022146519899115

Course Description: The minority mental health paradox suggests that racial-ethnic minorities often report better mental health than non-Hispanic whites despite social environments that seem less conducive to well-being. The present study uses data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) to provide a partial explanation for the paradox. Overall, evidence indicates that non-Hispanic whites consume more pharmaceuticals than racial-ethnic minorities for a wide variety of medical conditions. Additionally, although a significant black and Hispanic advantage in a continuous measure of distress remain, the magnitude of the difference is reduced considerably.   

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the purpose of the study and the methods related to the minority mental health paradox as examined in the article
2. Analyze the data by exploring the statistical tests used in conjunction with the discussed findings
3. Integrate the study limitations with the identified areas of future research

Course Outline:

• Read and understand Pharmaceutical Side Effects and Mental Health Paradoxes among Racial-Ethnic Minorities
• Review the Course Description and Learning Objectives
• Consider the factors related to pharmaceutical side effects among racial-ethnic minorities coupled with the statistical findings from the accompanying article
• Work through the post-test questions; keep in mind that answer selections should be derived from the respective article
• Return to the article for clarification regarding treatment disparity, medication use, and minority advantage, or for any missed questions

Implicit biases incorporate an association that occurs outside of conscious awareness that may resultantly lead to a negative patient evaluation derived from irrelevant characteristics, i.e., gender and/or race. A systematic review of the literature was conducted. Thirty-five studies identified the existence of implicit bias in healthcare professionals; all correlational studies evidenced a significant positive relationship between implicit bias levels and lower quality of care (FitzGerald & Hurst, 2017). Continued research in health care settings, combined with greater method homogeneity, should be employed to examine the occurrence and prevalence of implicit biases in healthcare settings as a strategic approach for mitigating related disparities (FitzGerald & Hurst, 2017).

Reference

FitzGerald, C., Hurst, S. (2017). Implicit bias in healthcare professionals: a systematic review. BMC Med Ethics 18, 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-017-0179-8

Approvals: