Mdedge Psychcast

Regina James, MD, tells her personal story and discusses how to understand health equity with guest host Carol A. Bernstein, MD. Dr. James is deputy medical director and chief of the division of diversity and health equity at the American Psychiatric Association. She also serves on the advisory board of The PACT group (Pan African Clinical Trials) and receives no income from the group. Dr. Bernstein, a past president of the APA, is vice chair for faculty development and well-being at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York. She has no disclosures. Take-home points The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation defines health equity as: “Everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This requires removing obstacles to health such as poverty, discrimination, and their consequences, including powerlessness and lack of access to good jobs with fair pay, quality education and housing, safe environments, and health care.” Equity embraces the idea of inclusiveness and ev