HJAR Jan/Feb 2022

BARBERSHOPS tal health and substance abuse, but there is still stigma there. It’s seen as a sign of weakness. A lot of the time just having the courage to say ‘I need help’is a big deal, be- cause in our society it has not always been celebrated. “I think we also have to talk about the cost of services. I’m a clinical psychologist by training, and I am always a proponent of healthcare and therapy, but I have to be honest, it’s not free most of the time. Even if you have health insurance, it may not cover mental health care at the same rate as physical health. So even if I get over the stigma, I may not be able to afford the treatment. And then are there services available and can I get to them?” Haynes also noted that there are some patients who are more comfortable having a provider who is a racial or ethnic match to themselves, and that could be hard to find in a state with only a small percentage of African American providers in mental healthcare. “We also have to acknowledge that his- torically, people of color have not always received the same quality of care within our mental health system. We have to ac- knowledge our history and be more mind- ful in our work to make sure we are not contributing to that historical pattern of injustice. We have to make some systemic changes in the way healthcare is delivered. When they see we are honestly trying to make changes, I think that will go a long way to rebuilding some of the trust.” During the initial brief intervention, par- ticipants will be asked how many times in the past few days they have had a drink. They will also be asked to share how many drinks they had on those days. When the team circles back with participants, they BARBERSHOPS COME FULL CIRCLE? While the idea of providing healthcare in barbershops may be an innovative approach to addressing healthcare disparities, the practice of seeking basic medical care in barbershops dates back more than a thousand years. In the Middle Ages, people regularly turned to their local barbers or barber surgeons for more than their grooming needs. These men also performed minor surgeries, bloodletting, dental extractions and more. will check to see if there have been any changes in their drinking habits. They will also assess whether participants under- stood the guidance or encountered any barriers accessing the resources provided. Participants will also be asked about how confident they feel about the information provided and how motivated they are to change their behavior. Ultimately, the answers the team re- ceives will help determine if moving this type of intervention outside the clinical setting can have a real impact on health- care for underserved communities. We’ll keep you posted on what Haynes and her team discover. We also look forward to many more projects under the auspices of the newly created Center for Research, Health and Social Justice. n 12 JAN / FEB 2022 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS