Organizations in science and medicine must hold each other accountable for discriminatory practices.

Many organizations persist in working with others that engage in known, remediable structural discrimination. We name this practice interorganizational structural discrimination (ISD) and argue it is a pivotal contributor to inequities in science and medicine. We urge organizations to leverage their relationships and demand progress from collaborators.

Predictors of Mental Health Treatment Seeking and Engagement in a Community Mental Health Center.

Disparities in behavioral health treatment outcomes are multifactorial, but treatment engagement and dropout from treatment often contribute to unequal mental health outcomes in individuals with serious mental illnesses. Alcohol and other substance use disorders have been associated with poor treatment adherence and premature discontinuation of treatment, but few studies have examined these factors in a predominantly African American sample of individuals with serious mental illnesses. This study examined predictors of mental health treatment engagement and dropout in a sample of 90 African American individuals presenting for treatment at a community mental health treatment facility in Atlanta, Georgia. Having an alcohol use disorder was associated with being less likely to attend mental health follow up (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.12-0.88). Among African American individuals with alcohol use disorders, specific, targeted interventions may be necessary to help reach individuals that are at extremely high risk of poor health and poor adherence to treatment.

Characterizing depression and comorbid medical conditions in African American women in a primary care setting.

BACKGROUND: African American women are more likely to seek treatment for depression in primary care settings; however, few women receive guideline-concordant depression treatment in these settings. This investigation focused on the impact of depression on overall functioning in African American women in a primary care setting. METHODS: Data was collected from a sample of 507 African American women in the waiting room of an urban primary care setting. The majority of women were well-educated, insured, and employed. The CESD-R was used to screen for depression, and participants completed the 36-Item Short-Form Survey to determine functional status. RESULTS: Among the participants with depression, there was greater functional impairment for role-physical (z = -0.88, 95% CI = -1.13, -0.64) when compared to individuals with diabetes and hypertension. Individuals with depression also had greater role-emotional impairment (z = -1.12, 95% CI = -1.37, -0.87) than individuals with diabetes and hypertension. African American women with comorbid hypertension and depression had greater functional impairment in role-physical when compared to African American women with hypertension and no depression (t(124) = -4.22, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: African American women with depression are more likely to present with greater functional impairment in role function when compared to African American women with diabetes or hypertension. Because African American women often present to primary care settings for treatment of mental illness, primary care providers need to have a clear understanding of the population, as well as the most effective and appropriate interventions.

Toward Greater Accountability in Mental Health Care.

Lack of accountability contributes to the gap between best practices and potential outcomes. Few mental health providers routinely practice evidence-based care. In fact, within the mental health field, there is significant controversy over the use of evidence-based practices. Lack of accountability affects individuals receiving care at the patient level, provider level, and systems level. The authors identify several impediments to accountability in behavioral health care. These include failure to develop a diverse, well-trained workforce; challenges in measurement; misalignment of payment incentives; and misguided regulations. Accountability arrangements typically consist of several elements: a clear articulation of goals, objectives, or standards; metrics so that progress toward achieving goals can be tracked; and consequences for insurers, providers, and professionals for achieving or failing to achieve objectives. To advance system goals, the full complement of accountability tools should be consistently applied to all sources of behavioral health care and supports. The authors focus on three sets of accountability tools-performance metrics, payment incentives, and regulatory standards-that when implemented thoughtfully can help move the field toward more positive outcomes in behavioral health.

Mental comorbidity and quality of diabetes care under Medicaid: a 50-state analysis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with comorbid medical and mental conditions are at risk for poor quality of care. With the anticipated expansion of Medicaid under health reform, it is particularly important to develop national estimates of the magnitude and correlates of quality deficits related to mental comorbidity among Medicaid enrollees. METHODS: For all 657,628 fee-for-service Medicaid enrollees with diabetes during 2003 to 2004, the study compared Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) diabetes performance measures (hemoglobin A1C, eye examinations, low density lipoproteins screening, and treatment for nephropathy) and admissions for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACSCs) between persons with and without mental comorbidity. Nested hierarchical models included individual, county, and state-level measures. RESULTS: A total of 17.8% of the diabetic sample had a comorbid mental condition. In adjusted models, presence of a mental condition was associated with a 0.83 (0.82-0.85) odds of obtaining 2 or more HEDIS indicators, and a 1.32 (1.29-1.34) increase in odds of one or more ACSC hospitalization. Among those with diabetes and mental comorbidities, living in a county with a shortage of primary care physicians was associated with reduced performance on HEDIS measures; living in a state with higher Medicaid reimbursement fees and department of mental health expenses per client were associated both with higher quality on HEDIS measures and lower (better) rates of ACSC hospitalizations. CONCLUSIONS: Among persons with diabetes treated in the Medicaid system, mental comorbidity is an important risk factor for both underuse and overuse of medical care. Modifiable county and state-level factors may mitigate these quality deficits.

Racial/ethnic disparities, social support, and depression: examining a social determinant of mental health.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the risk of depression as it relates to social support among individuals from African American, Caribbean black, and non-Hispanic White backgrounds. METHODS: 6,082 individuals participated in the national survey of American life (NSAL), a nationally representative, psychiatric epidemiological, cross-sectional survey of household populations. The survey is designed to explore racial and ethnic differences in mental disorders. NSAL survey questions were used as a proxy for social support. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the correlates between having a DSM-IV diagnosis of major depressive disorder in the past year, demographic variables, and social support. RESULTS: African American race/ethnicity was associated with decreased odds of depression when compared to non-Hispanic whites, even when controlling for social support variables and demographics (OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.43-0.60). We found a three-fold increase in risk of depression among individuals who reported feeling "not very close at all" with family members compared to those who reported feeling "very close" to family (OR = 3.35, 95% CI = 1.81-6.19). CONCLUSIONS: These findings reinforce previous research documenting the important relationship between social support and depression, and perhaps should lead us to reexamine the individualistic models of treatment that are most evaluated in United States. The lack of evidence-based data on support groups, peer counseling, family therapy, or other social support interventions may reflect a majority-culture bias toward individualism, which belies the extensive body of research on social support deficits as a major risk factor for depression.

Opioid addiction and abuse in primary care practice: a comparison of methadone and buprenorphine as treatment options.

Opioid abuse and addiction have increased in frequency in the United States over the past 20 years. In 2009, an estimated 5.3 million persons used opioid medications nonmedically within the past month, 200000 used heroin, and approximately 9.6% of African Americans used an illicit drug. Racial and ethnic minorities experience disparities in availability and access to mental health care, including substance use disorders. Primary care practitioners are often called upon to differentiate between appropriate, medically indicated opioid use in pain management vs inappropriate abuse or addiction. Racial and ethnic minority populations tend to favor primary care treatment settings over specialty mental health settings. Recent therapeutic advances allow patients requiring specialized treatment for opioid abuse and addiction to be managed in primary care settings. The Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 enables qualified physicians with readily available short-term training to treat opioid-dependent patients with buprenorphine in an office-based setting, potentially making primary care physicians active partners in the diagnosis and treatment of opioid use disorders. Methadone and buprenorphine are effective opioid replacement agents for maintenance and/or detoxification of opioid-addicted individuals. However, restrictive federal regulations and stigmatization of opioid addiction and treatment have limited the availability of methadone. The opioid partial agonist-antagonist buprenorphine/naloxone combination has proven an effective alternative. This article reviews the literature on differences between buprenorphine and methadone regarding availability, efficacy, safety, side-effects, and dosing, identifying resources for enhancing the effectiveness of medication-assisted recovery through coordination with behavioral/psychological counseling, embedded in the context of recovery-oriented systems of care.

Social Determinants of Health, Structural Racism, and the Impact on Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

In recent years, there has been a greater emphasis on examining the factors, particularly the social factors, that affect health outcomes and contribute to population health inequities. The social determinants of health, as defined by the World Health Organization, are "the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and develop, and the wider set of forces, including economic policies, social norms, and political systems, that shape the conditions of daily life and impact health outcomes."1 The social determinants of mental health (SDoMH) are similar, but include the added societal stigma associated with mental health and substance use disorders. The SDoMH often receive less focus and study, particularly in youth. Table 1 lists several examples of social determinants of mental health for children and adolescents and examples of how to address them in the clinical setting.1 The SDoMH are particularly relevant for children, as they are reliant on the adults who care for them and have even less control over these societal factors. Additionally, the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development that occurs during this critical time lays the foundation for mental health and well-being into adulthood. It is important that mental health providers recognize these SDoMH, as they invariably impact the clinical presentation of the children they treat. However, to truly address the SDoMH and improve outcomes for all children, clinicians must understand the major driving force behind them-structural racism.

Online Psychosis Screening: Characterizing an Underexamined Population to Improve Access and Equity.

OBJECTIVE: Online resources represent an important avenue to identify and support individuals who may be experiencing symptoms of psychosis but have yet to engage in care. Understanding the experiences and needs of this group is critical to inform outreach for early psychosis and improve outcomes by addressing barriers to early treatment. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective, explorative, cross-sectional analysis by using data collected by Mental Health America as part of their online psychosis screening and support program. Data included scores from the Prodromal Questionnaire-Brief, basic demographic information, and respondents' plans for next steps. RESULTS: Of 120,937 respondents, most (82.1%) reported distressing psychosis-like experiences at levels sufficient to merit a referral to specialty care for additional evaluation. However, only 17.1% planned to seek treatment as a next step, with most (53.6%) wanting instead more information. Higher distress was only weakly associated with the plan to seek treatment. In the multivariable analysis, respondents who were younger; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer; or Native American or who had lower income reported the greatest symptom-related distress. Younger and higher-income respondents were less likely to plan to seek treatment next. Across race-ethnicity, African Americans were most likely to plan to seek treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Most respondents reported that psychosis-like experiences caused significant distress, but they did not plan to seek treatment next. Addressing this treatment gap requires careful consideration regarding what services individuals want, how services should be presented, and what barriers may limit help seeking. These steps are critical to improve access to early intervention for individuals with psychosis spectrum disorders.

Racism and Mental Health Equity: History Repeating Itself.

With a growing understanding of how racism negatively affects the mental health of patients, mental health professionals are as anxious to act as they are uncertain about the best path forward. This uncertainty persists even though thoughtful, actionable antiracist recommendations in psychiatry were made 50 years ago. Mental health professionals can take several antiracist actions, including acknowledging individual and structural racism through an examination of racist policies, to achieve mental health equity. The mental health field must take these actions collectively so that history does not continue to repeat itself.

COVID-19, Structural Racism, and Mental Health Inequities: Policy Implications for an Emerging Syndemic.

The complex interactions between the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, structural racism, and mental health inequities have led to devastating health, economic, and social consequences. The intersection of these three conditions, which meets criteria for a syndemic (synergistic epidemics), presents numerous policy challenges-and opportunities. Addressing these issues in a unified manner, using a syndemic theory approach, can lead to significant progress and effective solutions for otherwise intransigent problems in society. This article proposes steps that can be taken to protect "essential workers" and other "vulnerable" populations; engage and empower communities; optimize community-led crisis response interventions; improve data collection about the intersection of COVID-19, structural racism, and mental health inequities; support school-based interventions; expand financial supports for mental health service delivery; expand health care insurance coverage to increase access and lower out-of-pocket costs; and promote workforce diversity. Emphasis on local, state, and federal policy interventions that prioritize equity and justice and focus on collective health and well-being will ultimately lead us on a more sustainable and equitable path.

Transforming Mental Health And Addiction Services.

Even with great advances in behavioral health policy in the last decade, the problems of mental illness and addiction persist in the United States-so more needs to be done. In this article, which is part of the National Academy of Medicine's Vital Directions for Health and Health Care: Priorities for 2021 initiative, we describe the steps needed to improve outcomes, focusing on three strategies. We argue for transforming the behavioral health system to meet people where they are, decriminalizing mental illness and substance use disorders to facilitate recovery, and raising awareness of social context and social needs as essential to effective care. We call for supporting structures in the workforce and structures of accountability, outcome measurement, and more generous financing of behavioral health care. These steps have costs, but the enormous benefits of a major transformation in behavioral health policy far outweigh the expenses.

Socioeconomic position, stress, and cortisol in relation to waist circumference in African American and white women.

OBJECTIVE: Abdominal fat deposition has been shown to be related to hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes. Studies have shown a correlation between cortisol (a stress hormone) and abdominal fat deposition. Low socioeconomic position (SEP) has also been shown to be related to abdominal fat deposition. It is hypothesized that chronic stress associated with low SEP leads to high cortisol levels which in turn lead to abdominal fat deposition. Previous research in this area has included mainly European subjects. The purpose of this study was to examine the evidence for the SEP-chronic stress-cortisol-abdominal fat hypothesis in a sample of African American and White American women. DESIGN: Data from the Regional Assessment Health Surveillance Study (RAHSS), a survey and physical examination of a representative sample of African American and White adults residing in six counties in Georgia, were utilized. The study population included 111 African American and 119 White women. Abdominal fat deposition was measured by waist circumference (inches). Education and income were the measures of SEP. Other exposures examined included serum cortisol, self-reported daily stress level, cigarette smoking, marital status, and number of children. Associations were examined using multiple linear regression models adjusted for age and body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: Among White women, less-educated women had a waist circumference 2.22 inches larger (P < .05) than more highly educated women. Among African American women, separated or divorced women (+2.29 in, P < .05) and widowed women (+3.13 in, P < .01) had larger waist circumferences than married women. No other factors were significantly associated with waist circumference. CONCLUSIONS: The SEP-chronic stress abdominal fat accumulation hypothesis was only partially supported by the data. Different stressors and pathways may be important in producing abdominal fat accumulation in African American and White women.

Pilot testing and preliminary evaluation of a suicide prevention education program for emergency department personnel.

Emergency department personnel play an important role in recognizing individuals with suicidality and intervening to prevent completed suicide. An educational program was designed to be offered to emergency department personnel, and was piloted with a convenience sample of 54 clinicians. Pre-test and post-test measures showed an increase in knowledge scores (from 7.9 ± 1.9 to 13.6 ± 2.1, P < .001) and self-efficacy scores (from 24.0 ± 9.1 to 32.3 ± 9.2, P < .001) regarding management of suicidal patients or those at elevated risk for suicide in the emergency department immediately after participating in the training session. In addition, participants favorably rated the training session, and would recommend it to others. With further development and refinement, this program could be implemented on a statewide level and targeted at emergency department personnel to enhance their ability to provide appropriate resources, support, and treatment for individuals identified as being at risk for suicide.

Dismantling Structural Racism in Academic Medicine: A Skeptical Optimism.

Structural racism is pervasive in U.S. society, and academic medicine is not immune to the effects of this disease. The social determinants of health have been implicated as the main drivers of health disparities and inequities in society, and racism has been well established as a social determinant of health. Research consistently highlights poor health outcomes for Black populations and other communities of color compared with White populations across a variety of conditions. Medical students, residents, and faculty of all backgrounds regularly experience the destructive effects of structural racism in medicine. Renewed attention to the problem is encouraging, but, if it is consistent with history, transient. If academic medicine can arrive at a place of discarding the shackles of biological determinism, perhaps the field can begin to take initial steps toward dismantling the structural racism that drives health inequities. To make true headway, academic medicine must be willing to make bold strategic and financial commitments to do more. This work will not be easy, and there will be great resistance to the type of change that is needed. It is time to ask whether the leaders of academic institutions have the will to act and to continue to push forward in the face of opposition. The author is skeptical-because of the scope of the work that needs to be done and because it feels as if society has been here many times before-and, yet, remains optimistic.