Schizophrenia in the Black Community: Issues on Identification, Symptom Management, and Advocacy

In the identification and treatment of schizophrenia, extant work has reported significant disparities when comparing Black individuals with their White counterparts. For instance, empirical work in the last decade has revealed stark differences between Black and White communities in the frequency of schizophrenia diagnoses, treatment protocol for schizophrenia, and quality of life post-treatment. Furthermore, there is increasing literature suggesting that the areas in which Black individuals live may themselves contribute to the risk of developing schizophrenia symptoms. Interestingly, little work has focused on closing the gap. This paper reviews how inadequate medical care (e.g., bias, overdiagnosis, lack of medical resources) for patients with schizophrenia can result in a pronounced negative quality of life, such as the attainment and retainment of jobs, quality of social relationships, and risk for suicide in Black people living with schizophrenia. In addition, this paper discusses how these systematic disparities have long been weaponized against Black communities to further justify their oppression. Creating space for knowledgeable discussions about the ways in which medical attention is deficient for Black patients can stimulate social reform in the field, which can forge an enhanced healthcare system, and in turn, inform social change in other oppressive systems.