The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #74921

Corliss D. Heath, Candler School of Theology, Emory University, 3534 Misty Valley Road, Decatur, GA 30032, 404-272-3439, cheat01@emory.edu

Purpose. To address the issue of inequality in women’s mental health from a womanist perspective. Significance. Black women’s health is a cultural production of biological, social, environmental, and economic conditions impacting the quality of life. Black women’s methods of coping against white male structured society are based upon their own cultural conditions. The Beijing Platform for Action states that women have the right to enjoy the highest attainable standards of mental health regardless of gender, race, or class. However, research shows that racial, socio-economic and gender inequalities govern black women’s experience with mental health care and treatment. Methods. A transcultural analysis of women’s mental health articulated as a human right in the Beijing Platform for Action and the concern of inadequate care and treatment that disproportionately affects black women due to race, class, and gender. An examination of the particularities and universality of black women in the US, Caribbean, and South Africa and their experiences with the mental healthcare system. Results. Although the Beijing Platform for Action was written as a universal framework advocating women’s rights, racism and classism prohibits the document from functioning with a universal understanding. Mental health is a multi-dimensional issue requiring a multi-dimensional approach to addressing it. Conclusions. To declare mental health rights for “all” as stated in the Beijing Platform for Action, we must consider how cultural differences impact women’s rights, specifically black women. Thus an anti-racial ethic of care and cultural competency is required in mental health practice to improve inequalities among black women.

Learning Objectives:

After reviewing the poster presentation, observers will be able to: 1. Understand the ethics of black women’s life experiences under oppression (Womanist Ethics). 2. Effectively articulate issues of inequality in mental health among black women.
• Identify potential methods and procedures for shaping an ethic of care in mental health practice for black women.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.