AFMC : A CLOSER LOOK community leaders should discuss mental health and suicide prevention openly to reduce stigma and promote help-seeking . The role of the church and church leaders may prove instrumental in destigmatizing mental health care in the black community . 3
We must also expand access to culturally appropriate mental health care for Black communities . Only one in three Black adults with mental illness receive treatment . 4 Some reasons why treatment rates are so low among Black adults are due to the mistrust of the healthcare system . Historical and current negative experiences such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study and systemic barriers and biases within the healthcare system against minorities exacerbate distrust in these communities . 5 Expanding insurance coverage for mental health care , including in-person and telehealthdelivered therapy , would reduce barriers to mental health care . Black Arkansans should be made aware of virtual resources for mental health treatment , such as AR CONNECTNOW — a call center and virtual clinic .
Furthermore , practitioners should be trained on how diagnoses such as depression and anxiety may be expressed differently between Black and white youths . A study by Kendrick et al . showed that Black children are more likely to express depression or despair differently , which may lead clinicians to misdiagnose these symptoms as a conduct disorder , another type of mental health disorder , or remain undiagnosed . 6 In 2019 , the United States Congressional Black Caucus released a document entitled " Ring the Alarm : The Crisis of Black Youth Suicide in America ," which raised awareness and called for increased research funding to address the increasing rates of suicide seen in Black youth . 7
Figure 1 . Suicide Rates , By Race in Arkansas 2015 – 2020
Age adjusted rate per 100,000
25 20 15 10 5 0
22.2
4.7
2015
Age Adjusted Suicide Rate Among Arkansans , By Race , 2015 – 2020
2016
2017 Black
2018
2019 White
Figure 2 . Average Age of Decedents from Suicide in Arkansas
Average age ( years )
60
40
20
0 2015
Average Age of Decedents From Suicide , Arkansas , By Race , 2015 – 2020
47 47
44
2016
2017 Black
2018
2019 White
21.1
2020
The pandemic has undoubtedly created a tremendous amount of stress on all communities ; however , we must understand and address why we are seeing an increase in younger Black Arkansans dying by suicide . More importantly , we must implement evidence-based interventions and policies to address this growing public health problem .
Disclaimer : The views expressed in this paper are those of the author ( s ) and not necessarily those of the Arkansas Department of Health . s
10.4
31
2020
1 . Bray MJC , Daneshvari NO , Radhakrishnan I , et al . Racial Differences in Statewide Suicide Mortality Trends in Maryland During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 ( COVID-19 ) Pandemic . JAMA Psychiatry . 2021 ; 78 ( 4 ): 444-447 . doi : 10.1001 / jamapsychiatry . 2020.3938 2 . Sheftall AH , Vakil F , Ruch DA , Boyd RC , Lindsey MA , Bridge JA . Black Youth Suicide : Investigation of Current Trends and Precipitating Circumstances . Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry . 2022 ; 61 ( 5 ): 662-675 . doi : 10.1016 / j . jaac . 2021.08.021 3 . Coombs A , Joshua A , Flowers M , et al . Mental Health Perspectives Among Black Americans Receiving Services From a Church-Affiliated Mental Health Clinic . PS . 2022 ; 73 ( 1 ): 77-82 . doi : 10.1176 / appi . ps . 202000766 4 . 2020 NSDUH Detailed Tables | CBHSQ Data . Accessed November 3 , 2022 . https :// www . samhsa . gov / data / report / 2020-nsduh-detailed-tables 5 . Riley T , O ’ Reilly L , Adams S . Addressing Suicide Among Black Youths : A Call to Action Within and Outside Clinical Practice . JAMA Pediatrics . 2021 ; 175 ( 9 ): 895-897 . doi : 10.1001 / jamapediatrics . 2021.1693 6 . Kendrick L , Anderson NLR , Moore B . Perceptions of Depression Among Young African American Men . Family & Community Health . 2007 ; 30 ( 1 ): 63-73 . 7 . Emergency Task Force On Black Youth Suicide & Mental Health . Accessed November 3 , 2022 . https :// watsoncoleman . house . gov / suicidetaskforce
Dr . Porter is the Deputy Chief Science Officer for the Arkansas Department of Health and assistant professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Fay W . Boozman College of Public Health .
Dr . Mary Kathryn “ Katy ” Allison is a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Fay W . Boozman College of Public Health .
Dr . Lovelady is an Assistant Professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences , Fay W . Boozman College of Public Health , Department of Health Behavior and Health Education and a native of the Arkansas Delta .
WINTER 2023 | VOLUME 119 | NUMBER 3 87