The relationship between racism, health and mental health: Psychology and anti-racist education

Abstract

In this article, we propose a discussion about the field of Psychology involving mental health and ethnic-racial issues, complemented by the debate on the education of ethnic-racial relations. The National Policy for Comprehensive Health of the Black Population recognizes structural racism and ethnic-racial inequalities as social determinants of health conditions. The literature review anchored by the theoretical-methodological framework of race, racism and anti-racism, as well as critical discourse analysis, they have brought to the fore, debates and conflicts regarding the black population in contemporary societies, especially in Brazil. We conclude that we must invest and insist on epistemological cultures in the field of Psychology and its practices that promote advances in debates about the effects of racism on the mental health of the black population, aiming at promoting health, racial equity and combating racism.