Antiracist Policies Research Articles

On the Travesty of whitewashing of AntiRacist Education

Kendi’s answer to the question of ‘How to be an Antiracist” is simple and succinct: to become an antiracist you must be an activist, advocating antiracist policies that engender racial equity and reduce comparable racial inequity. But the real solutions are more complex than that. He claims that the only way to undo racism is to consistently identify and describe it and then dismantle it, yet he abandons their descriptions for historically inaccurate narratives, and poorly supported autobiographical vignettes, and offers no way to identify racism, racialization, or how they manifest. The taxonomy he offers is disconnected from prevailing theories. It equates ‘anti-White racism’ and ‘Black racism’ to anti-Black racism and white supremacist violence, apprising equal validity to the terms for racial analysis. Racialized ‘whiteness’ is left unquestioned and omitted, and functionally maintains ‘race,’ ‘racisms’ and ‘antiracism,’ racialization, and their mystification.

¿No Hay Racismo?: application of the levels of racism framework to Latinx perspectives on barriers to health and wellbeing

Background The purpose of this study is to increase understanding of the forms of systemic racism experienced by Latinx communities in North Carolina during the COVID-19 pandemic as identified by Latinx community health workers (CHWs) and community-based organization (CBO) leaders.MethodsWe held three focus groups in July 2022 (N = 16) with CHWs and CBO leaders in Spanish to discuss policy and community interventions that improved access to resources during the COVID-19 pandemic; policy or community interventions needed to improve care of Latinx communities; and lessons learned to improve the health of Latinx communities in the future. We performed directed and summative qualitative content analysis of the data in the original language using the Levels of Racism Framework by Dr. Camara Jones to identify examples of implicitly and explicitly discussed forms of systemic racism.ResultsLatinx CHWs and CBO leaders implicitly discussed numerous examples of all levels of racism when seeking and receiving health services, such as lack of resources for undocumented individuals and negative interactions with non-Latinx individuals, but did not explicitly name racism. Themes related to institutionalized racism included: differential access to resources due to language barriers; uninsured or undocumented status; exclusionary policies not accounting for cultural or socioeconomic differences; lack of action despite need; and difficulties obtaining sustainable funding. Themes related to personally-mediated racism included: lack of cultural awareness or humility; fear-inciting misinformation targeting Latinx populations; and negative interactions with non-Latinx individuals, organizations, or institutions. Themes related to internalized racism included: fear of seeking information or medical care; resignation or hopelessness; and competition among Latinx CBOs. Similarly, CHWs and CBO leaders discussed several interventions with systems-level impact without explicitly mentioning policy or policy change.ConclusionOur research demonstrates community-identified examples of racism and confirms that Latinx populations often do not name racism explicitly. Such language gaps limit the ability of CHWs and CBOs to highlight injustices and limit the ability of communities to advocate for themselves. Although generally COVID-19 focused, themes identified represent long-standing, systemic barriers affecting Latinx communities. It is therefore critical that public and private policymakers consider these language gaps and engage with Latinx communities to develop community-informed anti-racist policies to sustainably reduce forms of racism experienced by this unique population.

Antiracist Psychology to Advance Equitable Public Policy

The discipline of psychology, with its roots in scientific racism, has been complicit with the enactment of racist policies that have significantly harmed the psychological well-being of many minoritized people in colonial societies. The American Psychological Association (APA) has acknowledged and apologized for this racist history and has committed to an antiracist path for the future to right the wrongs. As a part of Dangerous Opportunities special issue, we examine the antecedents to racism in psychology, the racist behaviors of psychology and the APA during its existence, and the harmful consequences contributed by racist policies supported or endorsed by psychologists. Additionally, we provide a listing of required changes we view as necessary for the discipline of psychology and the APA (as its primary professional organization) to enact to prepare the discipline and the Association for antiracist activities and to capably and responsibly support and advance antiracist policies outside of psychology in the public interests. Transformation of the discipline and its associations, institutions, and programs is necessary for psychology to remain locally and globally relevant in a culturally diverse and interdependent. Antiracist activities are essential for this transformation to occur. Key words: antiracism, colonialism, decolonization, psychology, policy.

Providing equity-oriented care and services: Perspectives of primary care nurses working in Nunavik Inuit communities

Health inequities experienced by Indigenous Peoples are the consequence of unbalanced structural determinants of health, mainly due to systemic racism and colonialism. Primary care registered nurses face multiple challenges, including lacking resources to care for these communities and address health inequities. This study aimed to explore equity-oriented care and services from the perspectives of primary care registered nurses working in Nunavik (Northern Quebec, Canada) Inuit communities. We used a critical postcolonial perspective and an interpretive descriptive design. We conducted semi-structured interviews with ten participants and thematically analyzed the data collected. The results showed dynamic conceptualizations of equity-oriented care and services that shaped how participants see the northern colonial context, the healthcare accessibility, and the nursing care approach within Inuit communities. From these findings, we call for accountability measures like antiracist policies to promote transformational changes toward health equity.

Connecting the dots: a systematic review of explanatory factors linking contextual indicators, institutional culture and degree awarding gaps

PurposeThe primary aim of this paper is to illuminate the critical issue of the degree awarding gap in the UK, which significantly impacts students from lower socio-economic backgrounds and minority groups. By conducting a systematic review of existing literature following the PRISMA protocol, this study seeks to uncover the complex web of explanatory factors that mediate the relationship between contextual indicators, institutional culture, and degree awarding disparities. Addressing this gap is vital for promoting social justice, enhancing the economy, safeguarding the reputation of UK universities, and adhering to legal responsibilities. This paper endeavours to provide a comprehensive understanding of the underlying causes of degree awarding gaps and offer evidence-based recommendations for the higher education sector to mitigate these disparities.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs a systematic review design, adhering to the PRISMA protocol, to meticulously analyse the existing body of literature concerning the degree awarding gap in UK higher education. By systematically gathering, evaluating, and synthesizing relevant studies, the review aims to identify and understand the multifaceted factors mediating the link between contextual indicators, institutional culture, and the disparities observed in degree awarding. This methodological approach ensures a rigorous and transparent examination of the literature, enabling the identification of both the breadth and depth of research on the topic. Through this design, the paper aspires to uncover nuanced insights into the mechanisms driving degree awarding gaps.FindingsThe review’s findings reveal that degree awarding gaps in UK universities are influenced by a constellation of factors, highlighting the complexity of this issue. Key among these are unconscious bias, limited student engagement opportunities with academic staff, institutional racism, inadequate support systems, and a scarcity of social and cultural capital. These factors collectively contribute to significant disparities in degree outcomes, disproportionately disadvantaging students from lower socio-economic backgrounds and minority groups. The evidence suggests that institutional practices and culture play a pivotal role in either exacerbating or alleviating these disparities, indicating the need for targeted interventions to address the root causes of degree awarding gaps.Research limitations/implicationsOne strength of conducting a systematic review is its rigorous and meticulous nature, which ensures that the process is carefully planned and executed. This comprehensive approach allows for the elimination of biases, as the review systematically gathers and analyses existing literature on the topic. By adhering to a structured methodology, the systematic review enhances the validity and reliability of the findings, providing a robust and unbiased synthesis of the available evidence. This strength lends credibility to the research and reinforces the confidence in the conclusions drawn from the review.Practical implicationsThe practical implications arising from this information indicate that universities need to address the identified issues directly by implementing supportive strategies and interventions. By doing so, they can create a learning environment that is more inclusive and equitable, allowing all students to unlock their full potential. This may involve measures such as raising awareness about unconscious bias, promoting engagement between academic staff and students, implementing anti-racist policies, establishing comprehensive support systems, and actively fostering social and cultural capital. Such practical actions will contribute to reducing the degree awarding gaps and promoting equal opportunities for all students, ultimately leading to a more equitable and successful educational experience.Social implicationsThe social implications derived from this information are significant. By implementing supportive strategies and interventions to address the identified issues, universities can contribute to creating a more inclusive and equitable learning environment. This has the potential to have a transformative impact on society by providing equal opportunities for all students to unlock their full potential. By raising awareness about unconscious bias and implementing anti-racist policies, universities can foster a more diverse and inclusive community. Promoting engagement between academic staff and students and establishing comprehensive support systems can enhance social cohesion and create a sense of belonging. Ultimately, these efforts can lead to reduced degree awarding gaps and contribute to a more equitable and successful educational experience, positively influencing broader social equality and cohesion.Originality/valueThis paper contributes significantly to the literature by offering a comprehensive, systematic review of the factors contributing to the degree awarding gap in UK higher education, highlighting its originality and value. By focusing on the interplay between contextual indicators, institutional culture, and degree awarding disparities, the study provides novel insights into how these dynamics contribute to educational inequities. Furthermore, the evidence-based recommendations for institutional interventions presented in this paper furnish the higher education sector with actionable strategies to foster a more inclusive and equitable learning environment. This work not only advances academic understanding of degree awarding gaps but also offers practical value to policymakers and educational institutions aiming to enhance social justice in higher education.

Proxy failure in social policies as one of the main causes of persistent sexism and racism.

One example of proxy failure is current antisexist and antiracist policies. One of the most popular proxy in them is the number of representatives of marginalized groups - women and nonwhite people - in power structures. Here I show that such measures do not lead to combating sexism and racism, which flourish despite their application.

Towards anti-racist policies and strategies to reduce poor health outcomes in racialised communities: introducing the O'Neill–Lancet Commission on Racism, Structural Discrimination, and Global Health

Audre Lorde said, “There is no thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.” 1 Lorde A Sister outsider: essays and speeches. Crossing Press, Trumansburg, NY1984 Google Scholar The O'Neill–Lancet Commission on Racism, Structural Discrimination, and Global Health posits racism as one of the most consequential transnational phenomena to impact the health and lives of afflicted communities globally. This Commission aims to explore the axis of discrimination across structural determinants of health at intranational, international, and supranational levels and our objectives are shown in the panel. There is ample evidence of racism among health-care-provider behaviour in many contexts and as the cause of physical injury due to racial violence. 2 Batur P Heart of violence: global racism, war, and genocide. in: Vera H Feagin JR Handbook of the sociology of racial and ethnic relations. Springer, Boston, MA2007: 441-454 Crossref Scopus (3) Google Scholar , 3 Ben J Cormack D Harris R Paradies Y Racism and health service utilisation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2017; 12: e0189900 Crossref PubMed Scopus (160) Google Scholar , 4 Paradies Y Ben J Denson N et al. Racism as a determinant of health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2015; 10: e0138511 Crossref PubMed Scopus (1145) Google Scholar Further, the Lancet Series on racism, xenophobia, discrimination, and health 5 Devakumar D Selvarajah S Abubakar I et al. Racism, xenophobia, discrimination, and the determination of health. Lancet. 2022; 400: 2097-2108 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (6) Google Scholar joined earlier scholarship to characterise pathways of discrimination in health systems and other structures. The Commission will deepen the existing scholarship and explore racism and discrimination within global public health practice, policies, governance, and legal systems that are determinants of racial and ethnic health disparities. PanelObjectives of the O'Neill–Lancet Commission on Racism, Structural Discrimination, and Global HealthAccurately diagnose the problem of racism in health This will be achieved by reviewing existing national and cross-national evidence on racism in health in a global context, and using a set of empirical analytical work, to further describe the effects of racial and ethnic discrimination and its intersections on health at a national and international level. Identify best practices and actionable anti-racist strategies The Commission will achieve this goal by, among other activities, holding consultations with populations with lived experiences of structural discrimination in health, to discover how racist structures in select countries were addressed to close health equity gaps. Compile a report of the Commission's findings, highlighting the strategies, tactics, and actionable lessons We expect the Commission's recommendations to be used to develop anti-racist approaches in the sphere of health policy and service delivery to ensure equitable and just health outcomes. Widely disseminate the Commission's findings Broad dissemination will ensure that the anti-racist strategies and actionable lessons can be used by governments and health advocates to lobby for improved health outcomes for marginalised sections of the population in their respective countries and contribute a body of global knowledge to augment efforts to decolonise global health. Accurately diagnose the problem of racism in health This will be achieved by reviewing existing national and cross-national evidence on racism in health in a global context, and using a set of empirical analytical work, to further describe the effects of racial and ethnic discrimination and its intersections on health at a national and international level. Identify best practices and actionable anti-racist strategies The Commission will achieve this goal by, among other activities, holding consultations with populations with lived experiences of structural discrimination in health, to discover how racist structures in select countries were addressed to close health equity gaps. Compile a report of the Commission's findings, highlighting the strategies, tactics, and actionable lessons We expect the Commission's recommendations to be used to develop anti-racist approaches in the sphere of health policy and service delivery to ensure equitable and just health outcomes. Widely disseminate the Commission's findings Broad dissemination will ensure that the anti-racist strategies and actionable lessons can be used by governments and health advocates to lobby for improved health outcomes for marginalised sections of the population in their respective countries and contribute a body of global knowledge to augment efforts to decolonise global health.

For Land and Liberty: Black Struggles in Rural Brazil

For Land and Liberty: Black Struggles in Rural Brazil

Change Management Strategies Towards Dismantling Race-Based Structural Barriers in Radiology.

Political momentum for antiracist policies grew out of the collective trauma highlighted during the COVID pandemic. This prompted discussions of root cause analyses for differences in health outcomes among historically underserved populations, including racial and ethnic minorities. Dismantling structural racism in medicine is an ambitious goal that requires widespread buy-in and transdisciplinary collaborations across institutions to establish systematic, rigorous approaches that enable sustainable change. Radiology is at the center of medical care and renewed focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) provides an opportune window for radiologists to facilitate an open forum to address racialized medicine to catalyze real and lasting change. The framework of change management can help radiology practices create and maintain this change while minimizing disruption. This article discusses how change management principles can be leveraged by radiology to lead EDI interventions that will encourage honest dialogue, serve as a platform to support institutional EDI efforts, and lead to systemic change.

Racism, colonialism and the implications for nursing scholarship: A discussion paper.

A critical discussion of the intersections between racism and colonialism as social determinants of health and explore how these discriminatory ideologies shape nursing inquiry. Discussion paper. A review of pertinent discourse on racism and colonialism in nursing from 2000 to 2022. The failure to address health inequity plaguing racialized and marginalized populations locally and globally affects all groups, as illustrated in the COVID-19 pandemic. Racism and colonialism are inextricably linked, creating potent forces that influence nursing scholarship and adversely affect the health of a culturally and racially diverse society. Power differentials exist within and between countries creating structural challenges that lead to inequitable distribution of resources and othering. Nursing cannot be abstracted from the sociopolitical context in which it exists. There have been calls to address the social drivers that influence the health of the communities. More still needs to be done to support an antiracist agenda and decolonize nursing. Nurses, as the largest healthcare workforce, can be critical in addressing health disparities. However, nurses have failed to eliminate racism within their ranks, and essentialism ideology has been normalized. A multidimensional approach that includes interventions aimed at nursing education, direct patient care, community health, nursing organizations and policy is needed to address problematic nursing discourse rooted in colonialism and racism ideologies. Since knowledge generated from scholarship informs nursing education, practice and policy, it is imperative to implement antiracist policies that eliminate racist assumptions and practices from nursing scholarship. The paper is a discursive paper using pertinent nursing literature. For nursing to attain its potential as a leader in healthcare, standards of scientific vigour should be embedded within history, culture and politics. Recommendations are provided on possible strategies to identify, confront and abolish racism and colonialism in nursing scholarship.

Patients' Perspectives on Race and the Use of Race-Based Algorithms in Clinical Decision-Making: a Qualitative Study.

Clinical algorithms that incorporate race as a modifying factor to guide clinical decision-making have recently been criticized for propagating racial bias in medicine. Equations used to calculate lung or kidney function are examples of clinical algorithms that have different diagnostic parameters depending on an individual's race. While these clinical measures have multiple implications for clinical care, patients' awareness of and their perspectives on the application of such algorithms are unknown. To examine patients' perspectives on race and the use of race-based algorithms in clinical decision-making. Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Twenty-three adult patients recruited at a safety-net hospital in Boston, MA. Interviews were analyzed using thematic content analysis and modified grounded theory. Among the 23 study participants, 11 were women and 15 self-identified as Black or African American. Three categories of themes emerged: The first theme described definitions and the individual meanings participants ascribed to the term race. The second theme described perspectives on the role and consideration of race in clinical decision-making. Most study participants were unaware that race has been used as a modifying factor in clinical equations and rejected the incorporation of race in these equations. The third theme related to exposure to and experience of racism in healthcare settings. Experiences described by non-White participants ranged from microaggressions to overt acts of racism, including perceived racist encounters with healthcare providers. In addition, patients alluded to a deep mistrust in the healthcare system as a major barrier to equitable care. Our findings suggest that most patients are unaware of how race has been used to make risk assessments and guide clinical care. Further research on patients' perspectives is needed to inform the development of anti-racist policies and regulatory agendas as we move forward to combat systemic racism in medicine.

Spotted around the web: Brain organoids; early IQ changes; anti-racist policies

Spotted around the web: Brain organoids; early IQ changes; anti-racist policies

What the COVID pandemic taught us about creating inclusive, anti-racist, and accessible online writing classes and programs

This article first describes how our two writing programs responded to moving online during the pandemic. Then, we pull lessons from our experiences and interrogate them, pushing against what we learned and demonstrating how anti-racist pedagogy and course design is imperative to include in discussions of accessibility and inclusion. Finally, we develop a set of questions we can use to make anti-racist policies and pedagogies a key part of accessibility.

Award for Distinguished Professional Contributions to Independent Practice: Delishia M. Pittman.

This award is intended to recognize outstanding independent practitioners in psychology. Nominations are considered for psychologists working in any area of clinical specialization, health services provision, or consulting, and services provided to any patient population or professional clientele in an independent setting. Services provided to diverse client groups or patient populations, including but not limited to children/adolescents/adults/older adults, urban/rural/frontier populations, minority populations, and persons with serious mental illness are considered. Contributions are judged distinguished by virtue of peer recognition, advancement of the public's recognition of psychology as a profession, relevant professional association honors, or other meritorious accomplishments denoting excellence as a practitioner, including advancement of the profession. The 2022 recipients of the APA Professional Contributions Awards were selected by the 2021 Board of Professional Affairs (BPA). As a scholar-practitioner and health disparities researcher, Delishia M. Pittman has prioritized the mental health needs of African-descended persons across the diaspora in practice, training, and scholarship. She was the first African American, board-certified counseling psychologist in the District of Columbia and founder of The Wellness Collective, a boutique therapy collective that centers the psychological health and well-being of the Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC) community, delivering more than 4,000 hours of therapy in the past year to BIPOC individuals and couples. As tenured faculty in the Department of Counseling and Human Development at George Washington University, she took up antiracism work which has resulted in several important achievements, including the adoption of a department-wide antiracism statement; implementation of antiracism working groups to examine and redress antiracist policies, practices, and procedures across the training program of the department; implementation of two mandatory antiracism convocation experiences in the curriculum; and a movement to decolonize every course and diversify the voices used in the training of counselors for the profession. Dr. Pittman's contributions to the field of psychology are exemplary, and she deserves to be honored for her tireless work. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Estimating the Long-Term Causal Effects of Attending Historically Black Colleges or Universities on Depressive Symptoms.

Racism is embedded in society, and higher education is an important structure for patterning economic and health outcomes. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) were founded on antiracism while predominantly White institutions (PWIs) were often founded on white supremacy. This contrast provides an opportunity to study the association between structural racism and health among Black Americans. We used the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) to estimate the long-term causal effect of attending an HBCU (vs. PWI) on depressive symptoms among Black students in the United States from 1994-2018. While we found no overall association with attending an HBCU (vs. PWI) on depressive symptoms, we found that this association varied by baseline mental health and region, and across time. For example, among those who attended high school outside of the South, HBCU attendance was protective against depressive symptoms 7 years later, and the association was strongest for those with higher baseline depressive symptoms. We recommend equitable state and federal funding for HBCUs, and that PWIs implement and evaluate antiracist policies to improve mental health of Black students.

Moynihan Report Still Connected to Racist Practices in Psychiatry

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article ViewpointsFull AccessMoynihan Report Still Connected to Racist Practices in PsychiatryAnum Iqbal Baig, M.D., M.B.A., Ijeoma Ijeaku, M.D., M.P.H.Anum Iqbal BaigSearch for more papers by this author, M.D., M.B.A., Ijeoma IjeakuSearch for more papers by this author, M.D., M.P.H.Published Online:27 Sep 2022https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2022.10.10.36Daniel Moynihan, assistant secretary in the Department of Labor during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration, wrote a report in 1965 titled “The Negro Family: The Case for National Action,” better known as the Moynihan Report. According to an article in the June 24 Boston Review by Stephen Steinberg, Ph.D., distinguished emeritus professor at Queens College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, the Moynihan Report was written during the critical period when President Johnson planned to progress into “the next and more profound stage of the battle for civil rights” after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965. Those two pieces of legislation desegregated American society and granted Blacks both civil and voting rights. Some observers have viewed the Moynihan Report as claiming that dysfunctional family structure and culture are the roots of Black poverty. We suggest that racist policies and institutional racism are responsible for inequities in the distribution of wealth and other socioeconomic commodities. As a result, these pervasive racist policies continue to have adverse effects on Black mental health.The Moynihan Report focuses on the “crumbling family structure and urban ghetto culture” in Black communities as fundamental causal factors of economic and health care disparities. While family structure can affect the economic status of Black households, it is only one of several social and political factors with such influence. Moynihan vaguely alludes to these factors by noting that “three centuries of injustice have brought about deep-seated structural distortions in the life of the Negro American.” He then states that “a national effort towards the problem of Negro Americans must be directed towards the question of family structure.” Thus, the report oversimplifies this explanation and shifts the focus away from continued racist policies and cultural practices, which were chiefly responsible for contributing to inadequate Black employment.The Moynihan Report’s findings are undermined by the flawed argument that the “tangle of pathologies” are direct consequences of dysfunctional family structure, rather than a contributing factor to Black poverty. He concludes the report by stating that the U.S. federal government can attempt to solve this problem by creating programs “enhancing the stability and resources of the Negro American family.” According to an article in the June 30, 2015, In These Times by Daniel Geary, Ph.D., M.A., the ambiguous language used in the Moynihan Report allows its use by some to justify racism and its resulting economic inequalities, leading to damaging consequences. Geary is the Mark Pigott Associate Professor of U.S. History at Trinity College Dublin.The Moynihan Report is relevant today because of the continued presence of unresolved sociopolitical and economic issues mentioned therein. These matters continue to promote racism via racist policies that result in racial and health care disparities for Black people. Policies that perpetuate racial violence result in mistrust of the legal, political, and health care systems, thus leading to reduced access to mental health care. According to an article by Tahmi Perzichilli, M.S., L.P.C.C., posted May 7, 2020, in Counseling Today, the pervasive fear and mistrust of the health care system arise from historical reasons including the creation of “drapetomania” as a treatable mental illness that caused enslaved Blacks to want freedom, deinstitutionalization, use of the criminal justice system to control Blacks, and scientific racism. The unresolved sociopolitical and economic issues discussed in the Moynihan Report can be addressed through the enactment of anti-racist policies in every sphere of the American experience. Anti-racist policies are necessary to improve the overall well-being of Blacks as well as their access to mental health care. ■Resources“The Moynihan Report: The Negro Family, the Case for National Action”“The Moynihan Report at Fifty”“The Moynihan Report Is Turning 50. Its Ideas on Black Poverty Were Wrong Then and Are Now”“The Historical Roots of Racial Disparities in the Mental Health System”Anum Iqbal Baig, M.D., M.B.A., is a PGY-4 psychiatry resident and chief resident at the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. She is also a second-year APA/APAF Leadership Fellow and a member of the Southern California Psychiatric Society (SCPS) Diversity and Culture Committee.Ijeoma Ijeaku, M.D., M.P.H., is the immediate past president of the SCPS and chair of the Diversity and Culture Committee. She is also an associate clinical professor at UC Riverside School of Medicine. ISSUES NewArchived

"Is This Mic On?" Improving NICU Quality of Care by Amplifying Black Mothers' Voices.

"Is This Mic On?" Improving NICU Quality of Care by Amplifying Black Mothers' Voices.

Evaluating the Uptake of Antiracism Training, Policies, and Practices in Departments of Family Medicine.

Recent attention and focus on, antiracism training in health care has potential to accelerate our path to social justice and achieve health equity on a national scale. However, theoretical frameworks and empirical data have yet to emerge that explain the uptake of antiracism trainings and their efficacy. This goal of this study was to test hypotheses regarding uptake of antiracism training in Family Medicine departments using Diffusion of Innovation Theory. In 2021, we incorporated 10 survey items in the Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance's national omnibus survey for Department of Family Medicine Chairs (n = 104). We used DOI (Diffusion of Innovation) attributes (ie, relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability) as a guiding framework to assess perceived innovation of antiracism training. We also evaluated the mode of training (eg, didactic, experiential) and whether any subsequent policy or practice-level antiracist actions occurred. We used c2 tests to examine associations between DOI attributes and antiracist actions; and logistic regression to determine odds of association. Ninety-two percent of respondents indicated antiracism training was happening in their department. Relative advantage, compatibility and observability were positively associated with antiracist actions, P < .05. Perceived relative advantage was associated with implementation of antiracist action (OR 1.94, 1.27-2.99). Complexity and trialability were not statistically significantly associated with action. Our findings provide evidence of DOIs influence on antiracism uptake in Departments of Family Medicine. We believe our findings can facilitate the future implementation of antiracism training activities and actionable antiracist policies and practices.

Shamed into Action?: The Historical Avoidance of Pursuing Anti-racist Educational Policies and Content in Social Work Education

ABSTRACT Linguistic norms concerning issues of social injustice, racism specifically, vary by discipline. In this study, the authors used content analysis to examine discourse in the social work profession related to racism and anti-racist action. Our investigation found that the usage of forthright terms such as racism, white supremacy, and oppression in the description of social work courses, authoritative disciplinary statements, and educational standards, was uncommon prior to the uprisings that occurred worldwide following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. In contrast, we find the pervasive promulgation of anti-racism as an explicit social work priority across multiple high-profile educational venues since this time. In our discussion, we interrogate the implications of this contrast as it relates to the ability of social work students and practitioners to both conceptually and practically engage in effective anti-racist action.

\u201cI have to do twice as well\u201d \u2013 managing everyday racism in a Swedish medical school

BackgroundMounting evidence suggests that medical students from cultural/ethnic minority backgrounds face recurring and more or less subtle racist oppression, i.e., everyday racism. Insights into how they handle these inequalities, though, are scarce – especially in a Swedish context. In this interview study we therefore explored and analyzed the strategies used by racialized minority medical students to manage episodes of everyday racism – and their underlying motives and considerations.MethodsIndividual interviews were carried out with 15 medical students (8 women, 7 men) who self-identified as having ethnic- or cultural minority backgrounds. Inspired by constructivist grounded theory, data were collected and analyzed simultaneously.ResultsParticipants strove to retain their sense of self as active students and professional future physicians – as opposed to passive and problematic ‘Others’. Based on this endeavor, they tried to manage the threat of constraining stereotypes and exclusion. Due to the power relations in medical education and clinical placement settings as well as racialized students’ experience of lacking both credibility and support from bystanders, few dared to speak up or report negative treatment. Instead, they sought to avoid racism by withdrawing socially and seeking safe spaces. Or, they attempted to adopt a professional persona that was resistant to racial slights. Lastly, they tried to demonstrate their capability or conform to the majority culture, in attempts to refute stereotypes.ConclusionsRacism is not caused by the exposed individuals’ own ways of being or acting. Therefore, behavioral changes on the part of minority students will not relieve them from discrimination. Rather, strategies such as adaptation and avoidance run the risk of re-inscribing the white majority as the norm for a medical student. However, as long as racialized minority students stand alone it is difficult for them to act in any other way. To dismantle racism in medical education, this study indicates that anti-racist policies and routines for handling discrimination are insufficient. School management should also acknowledge racially minoritized students’ experiences and insights about racist practices, provide students and supervisors with a structural account of racism, as well as organize training in possible ways to act as a bystander to support victims of racism, and create a safer working environment for all.