Spider Webs United Can Tie Up A Lion: A Syndemic Perspective on Advancing Mental Health Equity amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
Silver Spring, MD (May 25, 2022) — MayaTech’s Chief Science Officer Dr. Suzanne Randolph Cunningham and Research Associate, Dr. Lauren Ramsey, co-authored a piece with researchers from the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi) that examines mental health equity in Black American communities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The article was included in the Professional Services Council’s (PSC) digital Thought Leadership Compendium, which accompanied PSC’s FedHealth conference, held May 24.
“The COVID-19 and racial injustice syndemic has exacerbated the mental health toll on Black Americans. The synergistic effects include impacts on social determinants of health such as housing instability, job insecurity, and food insecurity. However, few studies provide evidence of the role of race-related COVID factors or racialized variables among these determinants. Applying a syndemic perspective in research on these intersecting issues can yield invaluable data to guide culturally responsive prevention strategies, clinical interventions, and policies to remove structural barriers to equitable health and mental health care.”
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