Racism, social determinants of health and their impact on Black America: A Chinese medicine perspective

Introduction: In Chinese medicine a community's vitality and self-awareness play a significant role in its psychological well-being. Psychological health also depicts how free the mind is – meaning that whatever is necessary for the conduction of life implies the ability of the mind to act and choose accordingly. Black America has endured a history of racial oppression combined with disparaging social factors, but there appears to be very minimal discussion regarding the impact of these factors on the psychological freedom of this community.

Methods: Passages were extracted from the Huangdi neijing, the ancient foundational text for Chinese medicine. These passages were then analyzed in the context of a) Black America's history of racial oppression, b) the social determinants of health, and c) the concepts of the emotions and psyche in Chinese medicine.

Results: The psychological and emotional vitality and self-awareness of Black America are in a state of deficiency. This state of deficiency can manifest as chronic conditions that have become prevalent in Black America.

Conclusion: In the context of Chinese medicine, the inner vitality and self-awareness of a community can be significantly impacted by racism and disparaging social factors. It is essential for Black America to sustain these elements of psychological well-being as it continues to pursue communal goals and ideals that comprise a fulfilling healthy life.