DR Carolyn TuckerA psychology professor at the University of Florida has started a research project on this to enhance the mental health of black Americans.
The Gainsville Sun reported Thursday that Dr. Tucker’s project was launched to reduce depression, grief, stress and anger among black people in East Gainesville.
A 2019 National Healthcare Disparities Report found that 69% of Black Americans with mental health issues are not receiving treatment. In 2018, 62% of mental health professionals were white, a factor that often discourages black people from seeking professional help due to systematic racism in the healthcare industry.
dr Tucker is also a professor of community health and family medicine and works to remove the stigma associated with mental health therapy.
“As a clinical psychologist, I see a lot of black people struggling with stress and feelings of isolation,” said Dr. Tucker.
“They often want therapists who look like them. We empower communities to take care of their mental health. We are creating an infrastructure of community members who can collaborate with others.”
dr Tucker’s project aims to improve mental health in the community, and she has two teams collecting and conducting research.
“DR. Tucker’s two research teams (the behavioral medicine research team and the health psychology research team) are helping to implement her ambitious research agenda by conducting participatory, qualitative and quantitative research in the community to address health and culturally sensitive health care in racial/ethnic To empower low-income minorities and medically underserved communities.”
The data collected during the project will help determine how to better manage stress in the black community. It will also raise awareness in the healthcare industry to address the need to make treatment easier for people of color by hiring a diverse workforce.