AI Summary
- Persistence of 'Big, Black and Dangerous' stereotype in psychiatry leading to coercive care, higher risk of death and serious harm.
- Bias emerges from social and structural influences, constrained services, and clinical decision making, producing differential diagnosis and treatment choices.
- Reduce harm through adequate anti-bias training, increased service capacity, improved team functioning and research to evaluate interventions and outcomes.
BJPsych Bull. 2026 Sep 17:1-3. doi: 10.1192/bjb.2026.10291. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Meju argues that the ‘Big, Black and Dangerous’ stereotype is still alive in psychiatry and leads to coercive care and deaths. This brief commentary considers the wider social and structural influences, clinical-decision making and circumstances in which bias might arise. Reducing bias requires adequate training and service capacity, good team functioning and further research to evaluate outcomes.
PMID:42750374 | DOI:10.1192/bjb.2026.10291
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