FACTS AND FIGURES
Learn about statistics, trends, and other relevant insights for behavioral health practitioners working to reduce health disparities and improve outcomes for people in underserved communities.
Racial and Ethnic Discrimination
Racial and ethnic discrimination has significantly impacted the mental and physical health of older people of color
contributing to negative health behaviors and early aging.
1 According to the Commonwealth Fund 2021 International
Health Policy Survey of Older Adults, one in four Black and Latinx/Hispanic adults 60 and older reported unfair
treatment or not having their health concerns taken seriously by health professionals, a rate nearly eight times
the rate of their white counterparts. In addition, older adults who have experienced racial/ethnic discrimination
were significantly more likely to have a mental health diagnosis, feel socially isolated, and face a material hardship.
2
To address these issues, the study recommends:
- Promoting transparency and accountability by identifying instances of discrimination and publicly reporting discrimination data.
- Developing medical school curricula to educate students about how the U.S. health care system has harmed patients of color and other historically marginalized communities.
- Examining how current policies enable discrimination and then remove or reform those policies.
- Addressing the lack of diversity in the U.S. health care workforce.
- Providing culturally and contextually appropriate care that addresses patients’ communication needs and preferences.
SAMHSA’s Minority Fellowship Program aims to reduce health disparities and improve behavioral health care outcomes
for racial and ethnic populations by 1) growing the number of racial and ethnic minorities in the nation’s behavioral
health workforce and 2) training and better preparing behavioral health practitioners to more effectively treat and
serve people of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.3 SAMHSA’s E4 Center for Excellence for Behavioral Health
Disparities in Aging aims to engage, empower, and educate health care providers and community-based organizations
for equity in behavioral health for older adults and their families.