Radical Healing Approaches For Black Maternal Health: A Critical Review.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Gendered racism creates unique stressors for Black birthing individuals, accelerating aging and increasing risks for adverse health outcomes.
• Current research often focuses on individual coping mechanisms, neglecting systemic environmental factors contributing to maternal health disparities.
• Persistent maternal health disparities necessitate interventions addressing the root causes of gendered racism.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the relationship between resistance strategies and maternal health outcomes among Black birthing people.
• To apply a psychological framework of radical healing to understand empowerment and resilience.
• To identify strategies for individuals, communities, organizations, and institutions to combat gendered racism.

Main Methods:

• Critical narrative literature review.
• Synthesis of existing evidence on resistance strategies and maternal health.
• Application of the radical healing framework (French et al., 2020).

Main Results:

• Evidence synthesis on strategies empowering Black birthing people to resist gendered racism at multiple levels (internalized, interpersonal, institutional).
• Identification of opportunities for systemic change within organizations and institutions to promote equitable maternal health.
• Exploration of the connection between resistance and factors influencing maternal health.

Conclusions:

• Radical healing and resistance strategies are vital for empowering Black birthing people and their communities.
• Systemic interventions are necessary to dismantle gendered racism and eliminate maternal health disparities.
• Future research, practice, and policy should focus on these empowerment and resistance strategies for equitable maternal health.