By: Claire Butcher
Mental health research has often excluded BIPOC community representation, leading to misleading statistics and the lack of effective, culturally competent treatment. The erasure of diverse experiences from medical research perpetuates misdiagnoses and late diagnoses, ultimately setting up marginalized communities for mistreated or dismissed health complications. This article will shed light on eating disorder statistics in BIPOC communities and share how both agencies and individual practitioners can improve mental health care to reduce systemic barriers to treatment.
Eating Disorder Statistics in BIPOC Communities:
- In the US the current workforce of eating disorder providers is predominately white (73%) – leading to fewer providers having lived experience with systemic discrimination and marginalization.
- 20-26% of individuals with eating disorders are BIPOC people and they are half as likely to be diagnosed or receive mental health treatment.
- Native American and Alaska Native women are more likely than white women to engage in binge eating and “fear over losing control over their eating.”
- Hispanic girls in the U.S. report greater body dissatisfaction than caucasian girls and are at greater risk for engaging in disordered eating.
- Asian American women also experience disordered eating at higher rates than caucasian women, specifically purging and food restriction.
- Lifetime prevalence of “binge eating” was higher in Black participants than white participants and white participants were more likely to have received mental health treatment than participants of color.
Steps Agencies and Clinicians can take to Foster Culturally Competent Research and Care:
- Hire diverse staff and invest effort into diversity and inclusion committees.
- Require all staff to regularly participate in ongoing training in cultural humility and competency.
- Openly and directly address prejudice and bias practices and change behavior after making mistakes.
- Acknowledge power and privilege with clients, and have ‘comfort with discomfort’ to have difficult conversations surrounding systemic barriers to care.
- Walk into all meetings with clients with openness, humility, and validation.
References:
NLM – Megan Mikhail, Kelly Klump
Equip – Eating Disorders in BIPOC Communities
Within Health – Culturally Competent Care and Research