By Dave Dahl
SPRINGFIELD – Correct diagnosis of suicide risk among pregnant women and new mothers lags far behind if the woman is Black.
Karen Tabb Dina (DEE-nuh), an associate professor of social work at the University of Illinois, says the numbers are there. The answers are not.
“We’re finding that it is different; the mechanisms behind that difference, we don’t know,” Dina said. “So, what are some of the barriers to getting this diagnosis (of depression)? Is it on the patient’s side or the provider’s side? We don’t know from this data. Is there discrimination or perceived discrimination in that encounter? We don’t know from this data.”
Dina, who is attached to the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, says it’s not a question of access; all the women studied have private insurance. The solution, she says, could be a combination of people seeking help for their problems, patients giving providers accurate and complete information, and providers asking the right questions.
Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected].
