Schizophrenia Treatment among African Americans Teenagers

Schizophrenia Treatment among African American Teenagers
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Schizophrenia Treatment among African American Teenagers
African Americans occupy a unique history and niche in the demographic composition of the US and its contemporary national life. The legacy of discrimination and slavery continue to influence African American health, social, political, and economic standing. It is within this wider historical context that the mental health of African Americans can be appreciated. While resilience and forging of social ties have catapulted some African Americans towards overcoming diversity and forging a high degree of mental health, the challenge is still eminent. This minority ethnic group still leads in disparity in critical areas, including the prevalence of chronic illnesses, access to healthcare services, and poverty. The prevalence of such challenges has been showcased in the concerning numbers of schizophrenic teenage African Americans. Exploring schizophrenia treatment among African American teenagers is a step towards bridging the disparity gaps and developing a platform for equitable mental health services across all the demographic segments.
The prevalence and treatment of schizophrenia among African American teenagers is something that is fast becoming concerning bearing the prevalent trends. Schizophrenia affects only 0.7% of the US population. Yet, because of its characteristics that include premature mortality, significant disability, chronicity, and early age of onset, schizophrenia is responsible for 5% of all burden of disease (Adriaanse et al., 2016). Even though community-based studies have generated little evidence to establish comparative rates for blacks and non-Latino whites, it is indicated that African Americans showcase a higher prevalence rate of schizophrenia than their white counterparts. African American’s biggest challenge in managing healthcare disparities is access to healthcare services. With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the statistics changed a little favorably. Of the 20 million new coverages under ACA, 2.8 million beneficiaries were African Americans. Still, the uninsured rate stands at 9.7% Among African Americans as opposed to 5.4% among whites (Adriaanse et al., 2016). The lack of insurance coverage among African Americans is reflected in their access to treatment or screening for mental health illnesses such as schizophrenia. Maintaining the status quo implies an increased prevalence among African American teenagers if appropriate treatment interventions are not implemented.
In-Depth Analyses of Research Articles
Diagnosis and Screening
The primary avenue for treating psychotic disorders is by creating a proper diagnosis and screening platform. Schizophrenia is a chronic health condition that requires an individual to be subject to treatment for a long time. The earlier the condition is diagnosed, the better for the patient, as some symptoms are better managed before they escalate. In that sense, screening for psychotic illnesses is an avenue of preventing the prevalence of the condition. In their study titled “Racial disparities in psychotic disorder diagnosis: A review of the empirical literature,” Schwartz and Blankenship (2014) explore the diagnostic and screening trends of schizophrenia and other psychotic illnesses across different ethnic groups in a span of 24 years. The study notes that screening for psychotic disorders is common in the US. However, racial differences in rates of psychotic disorder diagnoses have been reported across time and mental health professions. 
The study provides an updated comparative analysis of diagnosis of psychotic disorders with findings geared towards trends among non-Hispanic whites, Latinos, and African Americans. The findings indicate that African Americans are three to four times, likely to be diagnosed with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. However, African Americans are also three times less likely to be screened for the conditions. A trend in international studies on the diagnoses revealed that immigrant, racial minority consumers are assigned psychotic disorder diagnoses more frequently compared to the majority ethnic groups. The study continues to analyze the potential causes of the phenomenon. Sociological causes, including the willingness to participate in mental health services, differential access to healthcare services, and possible clinical bias, are some of the reasons why African Americans are more susceptible to the illnesses. While the study suggests that future studies should include the exploration of disproportionate diagnoses according to race through qualitative interviewing as well as empirical investigation, it does not fail to instill the need to revitalize screening and diagnosis strategies among minority ethnic groups. The factors that limit proper screening behaviors extend to hinder treatment efficiency for African American teenagers diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Distribution of Resources
Distribution of resources necessary in diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia remains a challenge for teenage African Americans. Every demographic segment requires proper access to healthcare services to stand a chance of securing proper treatment for any illness. A chronic condition such as schizophrenia is characterized by needs that require efficient and continuous access to healthcare services. In the US, access to insurance policies such as Medicaid fuel an individual’s ability to combat some illnesses. However, these services are skewed to disfavor minority ethnic groups. Blacks are less likely to access healthcare services bearing their financial difficulties. A change in the healthcare policy was poised to revitalize the position of blacks in accessing healthcare. So ...