Office of Primary Care and Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program

Marissa Coleman, Psy.D., clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at the Larner College of Medicine and vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion at the University of Vermont Medical Center

(APRIL 11, 2024) In honor of national minority health awareness month, local health experts are highlighting the importance of quality care to meet needs across diverse backgrounds. Marissa Coleman, Psy.D., clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at the Larner College of Medicine and vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion at the University of Vermont Medical Center, was interviewed by NBC5 for a story on the importance of quality health care to meet needs across diverse backgrounds.

There are several factors that contribute to disparities in health care, including income, social bias, and language barriers, Coleman noted. These barriers create a domino effect, which is why providers are trying to learn more about patterns of inequity in medical care.

“It’s not just about the DE&I as it’s being discussed in, I think, the national media. But, more so, how do people and patients feel about the care that they seek,” Coleman said. “Do they feel like they are able to bring their full selves into the health care system and be treated, be listened to? I think a lot of those fundamental things could go a long way.”