5 Star Review
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Editorial Book Review:
By Cameron Cooper
In his book, Dr. William B. Lawson deftly examines the healthcare inequalities long afflicting African American communities have endured. Beyond only pointing up the issues, the book presents a picture of what serious, systematic reforms could bring about in terms of the direction healthcare could take. Dr. Lawson is a psychiatrist with several decades of experience in mental health advocacy. Her publications are both academic studies and strong calls to action.
The book is comprehensive in scope, tackling a wide range of issues from inadequate access to healthcare to the deep-seated impacts of systemic racism. Apart from talking on how society concerns such poverty, education, and environment affect health, Dr. Lawson also questions the medical system. He said that differences in treatment and diagnosis could be explained by historical neglect, lack of representation, and implicit prejudice. Particularly on mental health, which he has researched extensively, Lawson also looks at how Black people's mental illnesses are exacerbated by racism and financial difficulty.
What sets this work apart is Dr. Lawson's commitment to providing actionable solutions. He does not stop at raising awareness of disparities—he presents a clear vision for future healthcare reforms. From raising cultural competency among medical professionals to supporting more diversity in medical research, the book lists concrete actions that can help to close the racial health disparity. Lawson also stresses the need of empowering African American patients so they may advocate for themselves inside a system that has sometimes excluded their views.
Doctors, policymakers, and everyone else with an interest in public health and social justice should read Dr. Lawson because of her clear and authoritative writing. In addition to identifying the root causes of health disparities, African American Health offers a path forward toward a more equitable future by peeling back the layers of systemic inequity. This book is a fantastic and vital addition to the ongoing discussion about healthcare reform.
About the Author
Dr. William B. Lawson MD., PHD.
He is Founder of the Institute for Reducing Disparities, LLC, President of Senior Psychiatrists Inc, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the George Washington University, emeritus professor of psychiatry at the Dell Medical School, University of Texas, Austin, and emeritus professor and formerly chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Howard University School of Medicine.
He received a PhD in Psychology from the University of New Hampshire and MD from the Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, residency at Stanford University and fellowship at the National Institute of Mental Health. He has held faculty positions at the University of Illinois, Urbana, University of California, Irvine, Vanderbilt University, University of Arkansas, and Howard University. He was past Presidents of the DC chapter, Mental Health America, the Washington Psychiatric Society, and Black Psychiatrists of America. He received the American Psychiatric Foundation Award for Advancing Minority Mental Health, Jeanne Spurlock Award , and the Solomon Carter Fuller Award by the American Psychiatric Association, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Exemplary Psychiatrist Award, and the George Winokur Clinical Research Award from the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists. He has over 200 publications, and former editor in chief of the Journal of the National Medical Association.
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