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Article History

Received: 5 September 2024

Accepted: 19 October 2025

First Online: 3 December 2025

Declarations

:

: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

: As a group of academic women clinical researchers composed of psychiatrists (2), medical students(2), an epidemiologist with a nursing background, research assistants, identifying as both white (3–4) and black women (3), we acknowledge the dimensions of our identities that shape our work. Our understanding of mental health and treatment is shaped by our formal education and experiences with patients in our community of North Philadelphia We are aware that psychiatry is a field intertwined with power dynamics, historical inequities, and stigma. We work to challenge our biases, especially in the context of race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status, and recognize disparities in mental health care that can affect marginalized populations. As we engage with patients and conduct research, we strive to provide culturally competent care and contribute to efforts to eliminate systemic barriers in the field. We are committed to having the voices and experiences of midlife women in North Philadelphia heard and better understood through this study and we honor their contributions.