Enhancing Obstetric Healthcare Providers' Knowledge of Black Maternal Mental Health: A Feasibility Study.

Despite guidelines for screening and treating perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), systemic issues and clinician biases often result in unmet mental health needs in Black women. This study assessed the feasibility and impact of comprehensive PMAD training on obstetric healthcare providers' attitudes, knowledge, and implicit racial biases. We conducted a feasibility study with two cohorts of healthcare providers who received either in-person or virtual training. The training focused on PMADs, implicit bias, and culturally responsive care. Participants completed pre- and post-training assessments measuring attitudes, knowledge, empathy, and implicit racial biases. Both training modalities showed trends towards improved PMAD screening attitudes and empathy, with significant increases in beliefs about treatment efficacy. Implicit bias scores approached significance, showing a shift toward fewer participants with racial preferences. However, there was an unexplained increase in preference for White over Black post training. The training improved healthcare providers' readiness to screen for PMADs and enhanced their understanding of PMADs. However, the persistence of implicit biases highlights the need for ongoing, sustained interventions to address deeply rooted biases. Future research should incorporate continuous learning strategies and link training to healthcare outcomes for minoritized communities.

Determinants to Tele-Mental Health Services Utilization Among California Adults: Do Immigration-Related Variables Matter?

To investigate the relationship of predisposing, enabling, need, and immigration-related factors to tele-mental health services utilization among California adults, we conducted a secondary analysis of two waves of the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) collected between 2015 and 2018 (N = 78,345). A series of logistic regression models were conducted to examine correlates and predictors to tele-mental health services use. Approximately 1.3% reported the use of tele-mental health services. Overall, health insurance status, severe psychological distress, perceived need for mental health services, and identifying as Asian, remained strong predictors for tele-mental health service use. When accounting for all factors, we found that being a non-citizen was associated with lower odds of tele-mental health service use (AOR = 0.47, CI = 0.26, 0.87, p < 0.05). These findings suggest that citizenship, resources to access, and perceived need for mental health care collectively are the most significant factors driving the use of tele-mental health services. There is a need to address inequitable access to tele-mental health services among immigrants who do not qualify for healthcare coverage due to citizenship status.

Associations between Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs), Discrimination, and Internalizing/Externalizing in Pre-Adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between four types of perceived discrimination (based on race and ethnicity, nationality/country of origin, gender identity, weight/body size), individually and cumulatively; positive childhood experiences (PCEs); and behavioral symptoms among pre-adolescent youth. METHODS: This study was a secondary analysis of data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, a US-based cohort study of pre-adolescent youth in the United States (N = 10,915). Our outcome was emotional/behavioral symptoms measured by the Child Behavior Checklist. Primary exposures were four types of discrimination, a count of 0-5 PCEs, and other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Multiple logistic regression models were used to estimate the relationship between perceived discrimination and clinical-range behavioral symptoms, including the role of PCEs and ACEs. RESULTS: Weight discrimination was the most frequent exposure (n = 643, 5.9%). Race and weight perceived discrimination were associated with clinical-range externalizing and internalizing symptoms, respectively, but these associations were non significant once other ACEs were added to models. Cumulative discrimination was associated with clinical-range Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) scores, even when accounting for other ACEs (aOR=1.47, 95% CI=1.2-1.8). PCEs slightly reduced the strength of this relationship and were independently associated with reduced symptoms (aOR=0.82, 95% CI=0.72-0.93). CONCLUSIONS: Results of this national study suggest cumulative discrimination can exert emotional/behavioral health harm among youth. PCEs were independently associated with reduced behavioral symptoms. There is a need for further research on how to prevent discrimination and bolster PCEs by targeting upstream social inequities in communities.

The Prevalence, Predictors, and Health Consequences of Disagreement in Reports of Child Maltreatment Exposure.

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence, predictors, and consequences of disagreement between prospective caregiver and retrospective child reports of childhood physical and emotional maltreatment. The design was a secondary analysis of data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a three-decade long UK-based birth cohort. Prospective caregiver reports were in poor to fair agreement with retrospective child reports for physical and emotional maltreatment exposure, with caregivers tending to underreport exposure. Disagreement between reporters was associated with increased risk of depressive symptoms and substance use severity, but decreased risk for mental health diagnoses. Screening measures of childhood maltreatment exposure should take caution against using measures from different reporters interchangeably (i.e., from mother versus child). Disagreement in reports may indicate unmet need for mental health evaluation.

Convergent and Discriminant Validity of the Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS).

Behavior analysts frequently use the Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) to assess the language and social skills of children with autism in everyday practice and in research. Despite the widespread use of the VB-MAPP, its psychometric characteristics have not been extensively investigated. To provide information about its convergent validity, we calculated correlations between scores earned by 235 children with autism on the VB-MAPP and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS), a commonly used assessment with good reliability and validity. We obtained moderate or strong positive correlations between the VB-MAPP Milestones score and VABS Communication, Socialization, and Daily Living Skills subdomains. There was also a strong positive correlation between the VB-MAPP Milestones score and VABS overall raw score. These findings suggest that the VB-MAPP Milestones Assessment measures aspects of social and communicative behavior comparable to those indexed by these VABS subdomains which, like prior findings, supports the use of the Milestones Assessment. No significant relationship was observed between the VB-MAPP Barriers score and the VABS Internalizing, Externalizing, or overall Maladaptive Behavior scores. These findings, like prior findings, question the value of the VB-MAPP's Barriers Assessment as a measure of maladaptive behavior.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Receipt of Pediatric Mental Health Care.

BACKGROUND: Studies suggest increasing mental health care needs among children but limited capacity to meet those needs, potentially leaving some needs unmet. There are no recent national studies examining the receipt of mental health treatment among children. We sought to identify the correlates of treatment receipt in a nationally representative sample of children in the United States. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the 2019 National Health Interview Survey. Parents reported on their child's sociodemographic characteristics, general health care engagement, mental health using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and whether their child received therapy or medication in the prior year. Weighted logistic regressions tested associations among child characteristics and receipt of mental health treatment while controlling for parental report of child mental health symptoms. RESULTS: Among 7168 children surveyed, 1044 (15%) received mental health treatment, equating to over 7 million US children. Hispanic children (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.46 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.34-0.62]) and non-Hispanic Black children (AOR: 0.35 [95% CI: 0.23-0.54]) had lower odds of receiving treatment compared to non-Hispanic White children, controlling for mental health symptoms. Children with a well-child visit in the last year (AOR: 2.05 [95% CI: 1.20-3.52]) and whose usual place of care was a doctor's office (AOR 2.10 [95% CI: 1.33-3.34]) had higher odds of treatment receipt. CONCLUSIONS: Racially and ethnically minoritized children and those without primary care access have disproportionately low levels of receipt of mental health treatment. Interventions to meet the needs of these groups should be prioritized to reduce mental health disparities.

Association of neighborhood gentrification and residential moves with hypertension and diabetes control in Los Angeles County, 2014-2019: A retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether gentrification exposure is associated with future hypertension and diabetes control. METHODS: Linking records from an integrated health care system to census-tract characteristics, we identified adults with hypertension and/or diabetes residing in stably low-SES census tracts in 2014 (n = 69,524). We tested associations of census tract gentrification occurring between 2015 and 2019 with participants' disease control in 2019. Secondary analyses considered the role of residential moves (possible displacement), race and ethnicity, and age. RESULTS: Gentrification exposure was associated with improved odds of hypertension control (aOR: 1.08; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.17), especially among non-Hispanic Whites and adults >65 years. Gentrification was not associated with diabetes control overall, but control improved in the Hispanic subgroup. Disease control was similar regardless of residential moves in the overall sample, but disparate associations emerged in models stratified by race and ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: Residents of newly gentrifying neighborhoods may experience modestly improved odds of hypertension and/or diabetes control, but associations may differ across population subgroups. POLICY IMPLICATIONS: Gentrification may support-or at least not harm-cardiometabolic health for some residents. City leaders and health systems could partner with impacted communities to ensure that neighborhood development meets the goals and health needs of all residents and does not exacerbate health disparities.

"The Wild West:" Nurse Experiences of Responding to the 2017 Las Vegas Mass Shooting.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of nurses who responded to a public mass shooting in 2017. METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted with a sample of nurses who responded to a mass shooting, recruited purposively from a hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada. Intensive interviews were conducted with a total of 7 nurses, audio-recorded and transcribed for thematic analysis. RESULTS: Six themes were developed from interview data: (1) "The worst night of my life": Overrun and overwhelmed; (2) Unexpected altruism and benevolence of patients and staff; (3) "The Wild West": Giving victim care by improvising beyond rules; (4) Experiencing a range of reactions in the immediate aftermath and in the long term; (5) Shifts in nursing practice and evolving team dynamics; and (6) Defining realistic approaches to support staff mental health and mass casualty preparation. CONCLUSION: Nurses who were involved in responding to the public mass shooting described the event as life-altering. Given the critical role of nurses in responding to mass shootings, it is essential to consider how nurses can be supported in the aftermath of these events and how mass disaster preparation can include attention to the needs of nurses.

Examining the Association Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Lifetime History of Head or Neck Injury and Concussion in Children From the United States.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine whether there is an association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and lifetime history of early childhood mild head or neck injury and concussion in a nationally representative US cohort. SETTING AND DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study using data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (data release 3.0), a prospective investigation of child brain development and health. PARTICIPANTS: There were 11 878 children aged 9 or 10 years at baseline, recruited from 21 school-based sites in the United States. After excluding children with missing questionnaires for the primary exposure variable and children with severe brain injuries involving more than 30-minute loss of consciousness, the final sample size was 11 230 children. MEASURES: The primary exposure variable was ACEs. We measured eight ACEs: sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional neglect, parent domestic violence, parent substance use disorder, parental mental illness, parent criminal involvement, and parent divorce. The primary outcomes were head or neck injury and concussion, measured using the Ohio State University Traumatic Brain Injury Screen-Identification Method Short Form. RESULTS: The sample (N = 11 230) was 52% boys with a mean age of 9.9 years (SD = 0.62 years). The racial and ethnic makeup was reflective of national demographics. Having a higher overall ACE count was associated with higher odds of head or neck injury, with greater odds with more ACEs reported. Children with 2 ACEs had 24% greater odds of head or neck injury (AOR = 1.24, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.06-1.45) and 64% greater odds of concussion (AOR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.18-2.22), and children with 4 or more ACEs had 70% greater odds of head or neck injury (AOR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.14, 2.49) and 140% greater odds of concussion (AOR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.15-4.47). The individual ACE categories of sexual abuse, parent domestic violence, parental mental illness, and parent criminal involvement were significantly associated with increased risk of head or neck injury and parental mental illness with increased risk of concussion. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: ACEs are associated with early childhood mild head or neck injury and concussion and should be integrated in head injury prevention and intervention efforts.

Discrimination during childbirth and postpartum care utilization among Black birthing people in California, United States.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between discrimination during childbirth hospitalization and postpartum care utilization among Black birthing people in California, United States. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of data from the Listening to Mothers in California survey, a population-based survey of individuals with a singleton hospital-based birth in California in 2016. The primary outcome was number of postpartum care visits. The primary exposures were racial, language, and insurance discrimination. A multiple linear regression model was used to estimate associations between discrimination and postpartum care use, adjusting for sociodemographic covariates. RESULTS: Black birthing people in the sample had an average of two postpartum visits. Almost 15% of the sample reported one or more forms of discrimination during hospital-based childbirth. In adjusted models, racial discrimination (ß = 0.09, 95% CI = 0.04-0.14, p < 0.01) and language discrimination (ß = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.98-1.07, p < 0.01) were associated with increased postpartum visits, while insurance discrimination was linked to decreased postpartum visits (ß = -0.96, 95% CI = -1.04 to -0.89, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Among Black birthing people in California, the drivers of postpartum care utilization after childbirth are complex. There are multiple negative drivers (e.g., experiencing racial and language discrimination and unmet needs), barriers (e.g., insurance discrimination), and positive drivers (e.g., clinician type and education) that affect postpartum care utilization among Black birthing people.

Structural Factors in Health Care Associated With the Mental Health Needs of Black Women in California During the Perinatal Period.

OBJECTIVE: To identify structural factors associated with the receipt of mental health care treatment among Black women in California during pregnancy and after childbirth. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of data from the population-based Listening to Mothers in California survey. PARTICIPANTS: The sample included 194 non-Latina Black women in the postpartum period. METHODS: We used descriptive statistics, including differences between means and logistic regression, to conduct a series of bivariate analyses. RESULTS: Most respondents (84.4%, n = 163) reported symptoms of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders prenatally, and half (50% n = 97) reported symptoms of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders in the postpartum period. Only 12.3% to 14.6% of those who reported symptoms received mental health care treatment. Furthermore, 21.2% (n = 38) of respondents were not screened for postpartum depression. Respondents with private insurance coverage were more likely to report receipt of mental health care after childbirth (OR = 4.6; 95% confidence interval [1.5, 13.5]) compared to respondents with public insurance coverage. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest a high prevalence of unmet mental health needs among non-Latina Black women who lived in California during the perinatal period. Practitioners in clinical settings may be more likely to make referrals to mental health care for women with private insurance coverage in the postpartum period.

Preparing nurse scientists for health services and policy research: Five-year outcomes of interprofessional postdoctoral training in the National Clinician Scholars Program.

BACKGROUND: The National Clinician Scholars Program (NCSP) is an interprofessional postdoctoral fellowship for physicians and nurses with a PhD. or DNP focused on health services research, policy, and leadership. PURPOSE: To evaluate 5-year outcomes of nurse postdoctoral scholars in the NCSP. METHODS: We describe the 5-year outcomes of nurse fellows and graduates from six NCSP sites (positions, number of peer-reviewed publications, citations, and h-index). CONCLUSION: There were 53 nurses in the sample (34 alumni, 19 fellows). Approximately half (47%, n = 16) of alumni had tenure-track faculty positions and had bibliometric performance indicators (such as h-indices) 2 to 4 times greater than those previously reported for assistant professors in nursing schools nationally. NCSP nurse scholars and alumni also had an impact on community partnerships, health equity, and health policy DISCUSSION: This study highlights the potential of interprofessional postdoctoral fellowships such as the NCSP to prepare nurse scientists for health care leadership roles.

Availability of LGBTQ Mental Health Services for US Youth, 2014 to 2020.

This survey study reports the variability of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) youth­specific mental health care in the US from 2014 to 2020.

Association of Cost-Driven Residential Moves With Health-Related Outcomes Among California Renters.

Importance: Unaffordable housing is associated with adverse health-related outcomes, but little is known about the associations between moving due to unaffordable housing and health-related outcomes. Objective: To characterize the association of recent cost-driven residential moves with health-related outcomes. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study involved a weighted multivariable regression analysis of California Health Interview Survey data from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2017. A population-based sample of 52 646 adult renters and other nonhomeowners in California were included. Data were analyzed from March 2, 2021, to January 6, 2023. Exposure: Cost-driven moves in the past 3 years relative to no move and to non-cost-driven moves. Main Outcomes and Measures: Five outcomes were assessed: psychological distress (low, moderate, or severe, as categorized by the 6-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale), emergency department [ED] visits in the past year (any vs none), preventive care visits in the past year (any vs none), general health (poor or fair vs good, very good, or excellent), and walking for leisure in the past 7 days (in minutes). Results: Among 52 646 adult renters and other nonhomeowners, 50.3% were female, 85.2% were younger than 60 years, 45.3% were Hispanic, and 55.1% had income lower than 200% of the federal poverty level. Overall, 8.9% of renters reported making a recent cost-driven move, with higher prevalence among Hispanic (9.9%) and non-Hispanic Black (11.3%) renters compared with non-Hispanic White renters (7.2%). In multivariable models, compared with not moving, cost-driven moving was associated with a 4.2 (95% CI, 2.6-5.7) percentage point higher probability of experiencing moderate psychological distress; a 3.2 (95% CI, 1.9-4.5) percentage point higher probability of experiencing severe psychological distress; a 2.5 (95% CI, 0-4.9) percentage point higher probability of ED visits; a 5.1 (95% CI, 1.6-8.6) percentage point lower probability of having preventive care visits; a 3.7 (95% CI, 1.2-6.2) percentage point lower probability of having good, very good, or excellent general health; and 16.8 (95% CI, 6.9-26.6) fewer minutes of walking for leisure. General health, psychological distress, and walking for leisure were also worse with cost-driven moves relative to non-cost-driven moves, with a 3.2 (95% CI, 1.7-4.7) percentage point higher probability of experiencing moderate psychological distress; a 2.5 (95% CI, 1.2-3.9) percentage point higher probability of experiencing severe psychological distress; a 4.6 (95% CI, 2.1-7.2) percentage point lower probability of having good, very good, or excellent general health; and 13.0 (95% CI, 4.0-21.9) fewer minutes of walking for leisure. However, the incidence of preventive care and ED visits did not differ between those who made cost-driven vs non-cost-driven moves. Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, cost-driven moves were associated with adverse health-related outcomes relative to not moving and to non-cost-driven moves. These findings suggest that policies to improve housing affordability, prevent displacement, and increase access to health care for groups vulnerable to cost-driven moves may have the potential to improve population health equity, especially during the current national housing affordability crisis.

COVID-19 vaccine concerns of health care providers and ancillary staff.

A web-based survey was widely distributed between November 1st-December 27th, 2021, to health care providers and ancillary staff to assess reported COVID-19 vaccination of their children as well as their vaccine concerns. Fewer nurses and laboratory / radiology technicians reported COVID-19 vaccination of their adolescent children and intent to vaccinate their younger children compared to physicians and pharmacists, along with more frequently reported concern about anaphylaxis and infertility. Focused efforts to update ancillary staff as well as all health care providers on emerging COVID-19 vaccine safety information for children is crucial to promote strong COVID-19 vaccine recommendations. IMPACT: Nurses, laboratory technicians and radiology technicians frequently reported concern about anaphylaxis and infertility after COVID-19 vaccination despite reassuring safety data. Education of ancillary staff with emerging safety data is important to strengthen health care provider vaccine recommendations.

Engaging Same-Day Peer Ambassadors to Increase Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination Among People Experiencing Unsheltered Homelessness in Los Angeles County: A Hybrid Feasibility-Evaluation Study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of engaging unhoused peer ambassadors (PAs) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination efforts to reach people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Los Angeles County. METHODS: From August to December 2021, vaccinated PAs aged ≥18 years who could provide informed consent were recruited during vaccination events for same-day participation. Events were held at encampments, service providers (eg, housing agencies, food lines, and mobile showers), and roving locations around Los Angeles. PAs were asked to join outreach alongside community health workers and shared their experience getting vaccinated, receiving a $25 gift card for each hour they participated. Postevent surveys evaluated how many PAs enrolled and how long they participated. In October 2021, we added a preliminary effectiveness evaluation of how many additional vaccinations were attributable to PAs. Staff who enrolled the PAs estimated the number of additional people vaccinated because of talking with the PA. RESULTS: A total of 117 PAs were enrolled at 103 events, participating for an average of 2 hours. At events with the effectiveness evaluation, 197 additional people were vaccinated over 167 PA hours ($21.19 gift card cost per additional person vaccinated), accounting for >25% of all vaccines given at these events. DISCUSSION: Recruiting same-day unhoused PAs is a feasible, acceptable, and preliminarily effective technique to increase COVID-19 vaccination in unsheltered settings. The findings can inform delivery of other health services for people experiencing homelessness.

Geospatial analysis of associations among mental health need, housing need, and involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations of people experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles County.

The purpose of this study was to use geospatial indicators of mental health need and homelessness in Los Angeles County Service Planning Areas (SPAs) and a psychiatric sample of adults who were homeless to investigate 1) overlap between SPA level of mental health need and corresponding volume of involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations over time; 2) overlap between SPA level of unsheltered homelessness and corresponding volume of involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations over time; and 3) associations between SPA level of mental health need, SPA level of unsheltered homelessness, and initiation of a mental health conservatorship for grave disability. A sample of 373 adults who were homeless and hospitalized on an involuntary psychiatric hold from 2016 to 2018 were linked to data from the Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count on unsheltered homelessness and from the California Health Interview Survey on need for mental health services and suicidality, using admission zip codes to link variables at the SPA level. Geospatial mapping and bivariate tests were used to examine geographic overlap of SPA mental health need and unsheltered homelessness with volume of involuntary psychiatric admissions over the study period. Multiple logistic regression modeling was used to examine associations of SPA mental health need and unsheltered homelessness with conservatorship initiation. The volume of patients admitted from SPAs with higher levels of mental illness need grew from 2016 to 2018 (Tau = 0.27, P < 0.001; Tau = 0.40, P < 0.001), but there were fewer patients admitted from SPAs with higher levels of unsheltered homelessness over the same years (Tau of -0.33, P < 0.001). Being admitted from SPAs with the highest levels of unsheltered homelessness was associated with higher odds of conservatorship initiation (OR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.82-16.74). Results suggest a need for targeted mental health and housing services to reach areas of highest need in Los Angeles County.

Habilitative Teletherapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Survey of Parents.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether service losses during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic were associated with worsened parent mental health or child behavioral health among families of children with autism spectrum disorder and to identify factors associated with favorable parent appraisals of habilitative teletherapy (applied behavior analysis; speech, occupational, physical therapy) for their child. METHOD: This web-based survey study was conducted from May to July 2021 with parents whose children were receiving habilitative therapy for autism from an integrated health system. A total of 322 parents responded to the survey (20% response rate). The outcome variables were pandemic-related parent mental health, pandemic-related child behavioral health, and appraisal of habilitative teletherapy. Predictors were COVID-19-related services changes in health care or child care, COVID-19 history (COVID-19 stress, testing positive for COVID-19), and child autism factors (autistic behaviors, caregiving strain). RESULTS: Loss of regular child care was associated with higher odds of worsened parent mental health (odds ratio [OR] = 2.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.5-4.8); higher levels of caregiving strain were associated with worsened child behavioral health (OR = 2.3, 95% CI = 1.4-3.8). Higher levels of COVID-19 stress were associated with more favorable appraisals of telehealth (ß = 0.4, p < 0.01), whereas higher caregiving strain scores were associated with less favorable appraisals of telehealth (ß = -0.2, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: During COVID-19, caregiving factors were associated with worsened parent mental health and worsened child behavioral health, and telehealth is not preferred by all families. Policy interventions to support caregivers, such as affordable, high-quality child care and paid family leave, are a high priority.

When Experiencing Inequitable Health Care Is a Patient's Norm, How Should Iatrogenic Harm Be Considered?

Inequitable care and outcomes experienced by persons with mental illness have long been exacerbated by stigma expressed by clinicians. This commentary discusses a case, considers physical and psychological dimensions of iatrogenic harm to patients for whom inequitable health care is the norm, and suggests how psychological iatrogenic harm can be recognized and addressed by clinicians.