And Still She Rises: Policies for Improving Women's Health for a More Equitable Post-Pandemic World

Wellbeing Convene during COVID-19: A pilot intervention for improving wellbeing and social connectedness for staff, students, residents, and faculty

Background

Canada is facing its worst crisis among healthcare workers in recent healthcare history. Anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and severe burnout are higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic. University Faculties of Medicine (FoMs) are vital to healthcare systems. Not only are they responsible for training personnel, but clinicians and staff from FoMs often work directly within healthcare systems. FoMs include students, staff, residents, faculty members, residents, researchers, and others, many experiencing higher stress levels due to pandemic tensions. Most FoMs emphasize cognitive and psychomotor learning needs. On the other hand, affective learning needs are not as well addressed within most FoMs. Finding innovative means to ameliorate mental and emotional health status, particularly at this critical juncture, will improve health and wellness, productivity, and retention. This article discusses a pilot program, Wellbeing Convene during COVID-19, in a Canadian FoM, which aimed to (1) provide staff, faculty, residents, and students with a toolkit for greater wellbeing and (2) build a sense of community during isolating times.

Results

Participants found the program beneficial in both regards. We recommend that these kinds of programs be permanently available to all members in FoMs, at no cost. Wellness programs alone, however, will not solve the root causes of mental and emotional stress, often based on concerns related to finances, hierarchical workplace structures, and nature of the work itself, among other factors.

Conclusion

Addressing the mental and emotional health of people in FoMs is vital to improving productivity and reducing stress of FoMs, healthcare professionals, and, ultimately, patients.

Flames of transformation: Igniting better mental and physical health for racialized and gendered North Americans

COVID-19 is catalyzing both crises and opportunities for communities of color. The crisis of high mental and physical morbidities and mortalities exposes persistent inequities while providing opportunities to celebrate the power of rejuvenated anti-racism movements, fueled partly in response to the extremism of ultra-conservative governments, the circumstances to reflect deeply on racism because of forced stay-at-home-orders, and digital technologies primarily driven by youth. In marking this historical moment of longstanding anti-racism and decolonial struggles, I assert the importance of foregrounding women's needs. In analyzing racism, rooted in colonialism and white supremacy, and its impacts on mental and physical health status, I focus on improving racialized women's lives within the larger context, concentrating on the determinants of health. I contend that fanning the flames to scathe the racist and sexist foundations of North American society will break new ground for sharing wealth, bolstering solidarity and sisterhood, and ultimately improving Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color (BIWOC) health. Canadian BIWOC earn approximately 59 cents to the dollar earned by non-racialized men, creating vulnerabilities to economic downturns, such as the one Canada is currently in. BIWOC care aides, at the bottom of the healthcare hierarchy, are emblematic of other Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), who face risks of frontline work, low wages, poor job security, unpaid sick days and so forth. To that end, policy recommendations include employment equity initiatives that hire groups of racialized women who consciously express solidarity with each other. Cultural shifts within institutions will be key to providing safe environments. Improving food security, internet access and BIWOC-related data collection linked to community-based programming while prioritizing research on BIWOC will go a long way toward improving BIWOC health. Addressing racism and sexism within the healthcare system, aiming for equitable diagnostic and treatment foci, will require transformative efforts including determined leadership and buy-in from all levels of staff, long-term training and evaluation programs, audited by BIPOC communities.