By Ethel Barnes

1 in 5 Canadians are likely to suffer from a mental disorder in any given year. Mood and anxiety disorders such as depression are commonly experienced by the public with women and young adults disproportionately impacted than any other gender and age category. Out of approximately 38 million people, only about 30% have access to services to help manage their mental health needs. Among those with limited access, racialized groups such as Black, Indigenous, and other people of colour (BIPOC), are the majority.

Racialized people represent 22.3% of the Canadian population. What separates this group from the majority is the disproportionate prevalence of avoidable social and health inequalities (i.e. high unemployment rates and poor access to healthcare), as a result of historical and contemporary instances of systemic inequities.

Much of the literature in this area suggest that the result of these inequalities stem from racialized people’s subjection to trauma through colonialism, racism, marginalization, and discrimination. These instances extend and have long-standing impacts on the mental health experience of racialized groups today, in which poor mental health service access and utilization is another added issue.

Apart from systemic inequities, other barriers to mental healthcare include a lack of representation in practice, limited mental health literacy and awareness, myths and misconceptions about mental health, as well as stigma. The impact of these barriers prevent racialized communities from having effective conversations about their mental health status or seeking mental health support.

Culturally relevant mental health resources are very few. Despite what is known about service access and utilization, the research in this area generally remains monolithic. To provide a comprehensive portrait of BIPOC mental health, further research is needed to identify how different communities of intersecting identities (i.e. gender or immigration status) navigate and/or engage with mental healthcare.

Communities, health professionals, and organizations are encouraged to promote mental health by engaging in open discussion about mental health issues with family or friends, include representation of racialized communities in campaigns, and advocate for the need of diverse mental healthcare within their communities. These considerations have the potential to promote mental health awareness and build healthier racialized communities.