Mental Health of Black Canadians: A Scoping Review

Black Canadians frequently experience significant challenges when attempting to access mental health care, resulting in discrepancies in mental health outcomes. This article describes a scoping review that aimed to understand the range and nature of research conducted on the mental health of black Canadians and to identify the gaps in this literature. An established methodological framework guided the scoping review process. We searched research databases (CINAHL, Embase, Global Health, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, Sociological Abstracts, and Web of Science) and grey literature sources for peer-reviewed articles and grey reports on the health of black Canadians. Of the 14 121 articles screened, 43 were included in the review. Our review found spiritual support, resilience, collective culture, and culturally congruent support as facilitators of positive mental health of black people in Canada, while stigmatization, misconceptions, low uptake of mental services, and difficulties accessing mental health services were the most significant barriers. Strategies for improving the mental health of black people in Canada center on social, emotional, and community support. Our findings indicate the need for black stakeholder involvement in awareness creation and knowledge improvement, which will help to dispel the myths and misconceptions about mental health in black populations.