Dr. Nwando Anyaoku invited Dr. Arpan Waghray, CEO of Providence’s Well Being Trust, to discuss the challenges and obstacles that minority communities encounter in accessing mental health care. Dr. Waghray delves into the stigma surrounding mental health within minority communities and highlights Providence's initiatives to bridge gaps in care, notably through community partnerships. A core objective for Dr. Waghray is to destigmatize conversations around mental health and foster a culture where such discussions are normalized.

If you would like additional information on resources, please check out these links:

• Minority Mental Health Awareness Month: Resources Supporting Minority Populations - Well Being Trust
• Resources - Well Being Trust

Host, Dr. Nwando Anyaoku, Chief Health Equity and Clinical Innovation Officer at Providence welcomed guests Dr. Tanya Sorensen, executive director Maternal and Fetal Medicine and Sauleiha Akangbe, clinical program manager, JUST Birth Network.

On this episode, Dr. Sorensen and Sauleiha share some insight with us about why Black women face alarming disparities in maternal mortality rates compared to white women, regardless of their income or education level. And why this racial disparity extends to other life-threatening conditions during pregnancy, such as pre-eclampsia and postpartum hemorrhage, and increased rates of preterm birth and low birth weight.

They also discussed some of the ways in which Providence is addressing these health equity issues, such as with the JUST Birth Network | Swedish.

Additional information about Black maternal health care

CDC data show that Black women are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women, with most of the maternal deaths being preventable. This heightened risk spans all income and education levels. According to the study from the National Bureau of Economic Research, the wealthiest Black woman in California is at a higher risk of maternal mortality than the least wealthy white woman.

Black birthing people are also more likely to experience life-threatening conditions like preeclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage, and blood clots, as well as increased incidence of other pregnancy-related complications like preterm birth and low birth weight.

Amid a national reckoning with the systemic racism underpinning American society and health care, advocates are pushing forward solutions from multiple angles, including reforming policy, health systems and medical education, and bolstering community-based organizations that advocate for better care and resources for Black moms.

Host, Dr. Nwando Anyaoku, engages in a discussion with Dr. Sonja Maddox, a primary care physician at PAC Med (part of the Providence family), and Denise Colome, Director of Health Equity in the South Division. Together, they delve into the intricate nuances of health equity pertaining to colorectal cancer.

Throughout the episode, they shed light on the specific challenges faced by Black and LatinX communities regarding this disease, while also exploring the proactive measures being taken by Providence to address these issues.

"The best screening is the one that's taken." - Denise Colome

One of our partners in addressing the health equity issues around cancer is Stand Up to Cancer. If you would like more information, you can do so at www.providence.org/lp/stand-up-to-cancer.

In this enlightening discussion, led by Dr. Nwando Anyaoku, Chief Health Equity and Clinical Innovation Officer at Providence, guests Dr. Shelley Schoepflin Sanders, a Clinician Educator and Chair of the Providence Sepsis Focus Group, and Moojan Rezvan, MBA, Supervisor of Interpreter Services and Diversity Services, bring forth valuable insights on sepsis. Delving into the intricate web of factors, they explore why ethnic minority groups face a disproportionately higher risk of developing sepsis in comparison to other populations.

VIDEOS
What is Sepsis?
Learn about sepsis, the body’s overwhelming and toxic response to severe infection.

Recovering from Sepsis
Sepsis survivors share their personal experiences while Dr. Tony Riddick, pulmonologist for Providence, delves into the critical aspects surrounding this frequently fatal infection.

In this episode of Culture of Health, we learn how to increase our level of cultural competence by navigating our individual and universal biases.
Anna Nguyen, a Licensed Family and Marriage Therapist with Providence, speaks with Jankee Pandya, Licensed Clinical Social Worker about the various types of bias, how we develop conscious and unconscious biases, and what to do once we recognize the biases we hold so we can start to reshape how we look at and treat others.

For more information and resources, visit:
Providence
Providence Behavioral Health Services
Providence Diversity, Equity + Inclusion

Dr. Nwando Anyaoku, Chief Health Equity and Clinical Innovation Officer at Providence and here spoke with Denise Colome, Director of Health Equity, California, South Division and Cheldy Martinez, MPH,Project Manager, Health Equity, California, South Division about the health advocacy work we’re doing here at Providence in supporting. They also talked about how best to promote the rights of individuals and communities to achieve better health outcomes.

Dr. Nwando Anyaoku, the Chief Health Equity and Clinical Innovation Officer at Providence, had a discussion with Dr. Michael Sanchez, a Primary Care Internal Medicine physician for Facey Medical Group in Mission Hills, CA, about a prevalent healthcare concern—diabetes. They talked about the risk factors, health equity issues, and strategies for managing blood sugar levels.

Dr. Nwando Anyaoku welcomes Dr. Manvi Smith, a psychologist, to discuss the crucial role of mental and physical healthcare in preventing suicide. They explore why social determinants are significant factors and identify who is most at-risk for suicide.

They also discuss the warning signs and what to do if you or a loved one might be at-risk and how you can assist someone who might be in distress.

Help lines:

If you or someone you know may be at risk, please call the mental health crisis lifeline at 988. There is also a text line - 741741 and you can text the word HOME in all caps.

Virtual Hope Box is a smartphone app that was created to prevent suicide. You can download it on any smartphone app platform.

Here a list of other places you or a loved one can turn to for help:

· Suicide Prevention - National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (nih.gov)

· 5 Action Steps to Help Someone Having Thoughts of Suicide - National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (nih.gov)

· Suicide prevention resources | AFSP

· National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (800-273-8255)

· Teen Line at 800-TLC-TEEN (800-852-8336) or 911.

· The Trevor Project 1-866- 488-7386 or text 678-678

· They can also reach out to their doctor if they're not in immediate danger but getting worse.