Dialogue: Disparities

Christy, who is training to become a clinical psychologist, talks about the importance of therapy for just about everyone—yes, even people without a mental illness. Danlin asks Christy about her experience being a therapist, the benefits of therapy, the goal of therapy, and why she is passionate about giving therapy to individuals with severe mental illnesses. We also touch upon the stigma surrounding mental health, especially among immigrant communities and among men.


Bloopers at the very end.

Ania shares her story of domestic abuse and her passion for making sure other women don't go through the same thing as her by volunteering with Shelter Movers in Montreal. Danlin asks Ania about how she wants people to treat survivors of domestic violence and the steps we can all take to be more supportive. 

Ania can be reached at [email protected], and her work is on https://www.sheltermovers.com/

Danlin interviews her good friend and ex-roommate, Victoria, about her experiences living with Asperger's syndrome (a form of Autism Spectrum Disorder). Victoria shares how her disability affects her social life and grades at the University of Toronto, her parents' reaction to her diagnosis at age 5, as well as her thoughts on person-first language, representation, and societal expectations when it comes to Autism.

With data from Pfizer suggesting that a 4th COVID-19 vaccine shot is needed for protection, we call attention to the unjust reality that most people living in low-income countries have yet to even get their 1st dose. This episode introduces WHO's COVAX program, civil society organizations, and evaluates their joint efforts to vaccinate impoverished countries. Moreover, we highlight disparities in vaccine access within wealthy nations such as the US. Lastly, because vaccine inequity is adding years to the pandemic and allowing more dangerous variants to emerge, we present ways in which you can help address vaccine inequity. Vaccination disparities are inequitable, but not inevitable.

This episode explains the science behind drug addiction (i.e. how our brains change with drug use) and the ongoing opioid crisis. Listen to find out how drug addiction is often driven by one's mental health challenges, lack of social support, housing circumstances, and childhood experiences—many of which are outside of one's control. Framing drug addiction as a moral failing really hurts those trying to recover from addiction; if we are committed to promoting recovery, we need to shift from “What’s wrong with you?” to asking, “What happened to you?”

References: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jxqaTPjy_SAJIY1na9uRPoFILvU7R_xaG97XLPYdy48/edit?usp=sharing

This episode explores what HIV is and the less obvious reasons why there are higher rates of HIV among sex workers, transgender women, and communities of color. Specifically, we dive into how a person's occupation, income, race, and gender identity can influence their vulnerability to HIV. We also discuss the role of stigma and discrimination in perpetuating HIV-related health disparities.

References: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19g624j7s90kBcWTCBT8SNmPGBNqcucrYEioy7RyoPzY/edit?usp=sharing

In this episode, co-hosts Danlin and Hajar discuss the rise of virtual healthcare amid the COVID-19 pandemic and what it means for patients in the future. We explain the advantages and disadvantages of telehealth replacing in-person care, especially for taboo health problems such as sexual and mental health. Also, we discuss how telehealth exacerbates current health disparities due to gaps in Internet access and the lack of accommodation on the virtual interface for patients with disabilities. 

References:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ISk0cd_B0EZ1UGNGSm4NHGTq-7C6-0gs14GbL_bXJPc/edit?usp=sharing 

In this episode, we talk about the financial, cultural, and social barriers faced by individuals seeking mental health services. We also highlight racialized and gendered disparities in mental health, with an elaborate discussion on the impact of societal gender norms on men's mental health. Moreover, we examine how the media perpetuates stigma around mental illness, and how mindfulness of our everyday language can break the stigma.

Resources & References: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wYn2OnlLkM33HRK0mo88UAys_G5Ln0S3t8hl2w3LTu8/edit?usp=sharing 

In this episode, host Danlin interviews Aeda Bhagaloo, who works with Professor Anne-Emanuelle Birn at the University of Toronto to research health disparities in breast cancer. We discuss how narrative medicine, a commitment to understanding patients' lives beyond their disease, is crucial for the provision of more compassionate and humanistic health care. We also explore the importance of culturally-sensitive care and how it can improve the health of minority communities to achieve health equity. For more information, please contact Aeda, [email protected]. 
References: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oTxXdj4W7BDaVfs7dZFVXDb_qakgQ-UTHj298f9sZYw/edit?usp=sharing

This episode discusses how your gender identity can drastically transform your health due to gender norms and gender bias in medical research. We also converse about the dire health consequences resulting from the exclusion of transgender patients from conventional medical curricula and from society's lack of acceptance towards gender non-conforming individuals.
References: 
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ehBGefddZmm8D_jzsDGbtv52Lqxnct48wncfceawzLw/edit?usp=sharing