Health disparities based on race: Key insights from Medical News Today's specialists
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Shining a Light on Health Inequities: A Deep Dive into the Health Disparities Affecting People of Color in the US
In the wake of COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter protests, attention has been brought to the systemic racism that perpetuates health inequities. To offer some insight, Medical News Today (MNT) reached out to its experts to share their perspective on the matter.
In our quest to uncover healthcare disparities highlighted by the pandemic, we delved deeper into issues such as the impact of COVID-19 on black communities, the public health consequences of police violence, and the potential role of incarceration in the spread of the virus. Yet, it's crucial to remember that the pandemic has merely amplified the inequities that were already abundant before it came into play.
With this Special Feature, we choose to shine a spotlight on the broader scope of health inequities and their impact on people of color in the United States. We invite you to join us as we unravel the thoughts of MNT's experts on these pressing issues.
Financial Burden of Health Inequities
Dr. Angela Bell, a double board-certified internal medicine and sports medicine professional, collaborated with MNT to dissect the intricacies of health inequities.
"Health inequities," she explained, "are disparities in healthcare and health outcomes arising from factors such as race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, location, age, disability, or sexual orientation."
"These disparities become more pronounced when coupled with suboptimal social determinants of health," she added. People grappling with lower education, income, smaller support systems, limited access to quality care, and healthy food options generally encounter poorer health outcomes.
Financial prosperity plays a pivotal role in this correlation, with COVID-19 revealing that disparities in wealth often translate into disparities in health.
Debra Rose Wilson, RN, Ph.D., an associate professor at Tennessee State University, elucidated the cyclical consequences for MNT: "Health inequities have a financial impact on everyone, as those trapped in inequities cannot easily change their situation, leading to costs for healthcare."
"Take, for instance, the poor being more likely to grapple with obesity not due to overeating or laziness, but because of inability to afford quality food options," she continued.
"Similarly, the poor struggle to exercise or access community education programs due to their neighborhoods being unsafe or the inability to afford gym memberships or classes."
Ultimately, the high costs of obesity become healthcare costs that everyone must bear. Programs focused on eradicating health inequities, however, can help break this cycle by promoting education, healthy food access, and family support.
A Climate of Mistrust
Research conducted by MNT has unearthed a startling revelation: "Across virtually every kind of therapeutic intervention in the U.S., Black people and other minorities receive fewer procedures and poorer quality care than white people."
This disparity is largely attributed to numerous biases and stereotypes prevalent within the healthcare industry itself. Femi Aremu, PharmD, a Medical Integrity Pharmacist at Healthline Media, shed some light on the issue for MNT:
"Black people in America are often perceived by healthcare professionals to be lying about physical pain. This bias can deter Black people from seeking medical attention when necessary and lead to misdiagnoses."
- Femi Aremu, PharmD
Dr. Valinda Riggins Nwadike, MPH, echoed similar sentiments and emphasized the growing mistrust of healthcare professionals among African Americans, with negative societal consequences.
"As an African American healthcare provider, I am reminded of my relatives," said Dr. Nwadike. "Many are wary of the healthcare system, believing they don't receive the attention they deserve. Communicating and listening effectively can help generate trust and better healthcare outcomes."
Prof. Tiffany Green, in an interview with MNT, also pointed to the ramifications of this trust deficit during the pandemic: "Institutions that purport to serve communities of color have unfortunately earned their mistrust, thereby diminishing the effectiveness of contact-tracing efforts within these communities."
Medicine's Racial Bias
Dr. Angela Bell further shared her thoughts on the historical and ongoing mistrust of medical institutions, along with her insights on ways doctors can bridge the gap with their patients of color.
"The medical industry and the research driving it are extensions of the white-dominated culture," she said. “To dismantle the inequities in the healthcare system, institutions must prioritize researching and understanding the diversity of bodies and experiences.”
The impact of institutional racism and bias can be seen in the disproportionately poor health outcomes for Black Americans, such as their higher susceptibility to COVID-19. Femi Aremu highlighted this reality: "Rather than focusing on the idea that Black Americans are hit harder by the pandemic due to comorbidities, let's discuss deeper issues like lack of access to quality healthcare, limited access to insurance, and increased incarceration rates."
Bias Against Women of Color
Black women in the United States also encounter pervasive biases in their sexual and reproductive health. "According to the CDC and U.S. census," continued Aremu, "Black women are three to four times more likely to die during childbirth compared to white women, making up only a small portion of the total population."
Dr. Amanda Kallen, an expert in reproductive health, spoke to MNT about these challenges and the need for change within the medical community: "Medical providers must acknowledge systemic racial bias in medicine, improve pregnancy outcomes for women of color, ensure fertility treatment advertising is inclusive, and foster open conversations about fertility issues facing women of color."
Unequal Care Post-Mastectomy
Systematic racism and its deleterious effects on healthcare extend beyond reproductive health for women. Dr. Catherine Hannan, a plastic surgery specialist, shed light on this for MNT:
"While the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 mandates insurance coverage of breast reconstruction following a mastectomy, research indicates that women of color are significantly less likely to receive postmastectomy breast reconstruction compared to white women."
Hannan encourages continued efforts to close this gap, stating, "Board certifications, training programs, quality metrics, and other medical organizations must do more to ensure fairness and eliminate disparities in healthcare access and outcomes for all, regardless of race or ethnicity."
Seeking Equity
Discover more about the social disparities in health and the actions we can all take to address these injustices through our dedicated hub.
The fight for health equity requires collective effort and understanding. By listening to the tales of those affected and learning from today's health inequity experts, we can undoubtedly forge a brighter future for all.
- Health inequities, affecting various demographics including people of color in the United States, have amplified due to factors such as race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and location.
- COVID-19 has highlighted that disparities in wealth often translate into disparities in health, leading to a financial burden for everyone as those trapped in these inequities cannot easily change their situation.
- Research indicates that Black people and other minorities receive fewer procedures and poorer quality care than white people, largely due to biases and stereotypes prevalent within the healthcare industry itself.
- To dismantle health inequities, institutions must prioritize researching and understanding the diversity of bodies and experiences, as the medical industry and the research driving it are extensions of the white-dominated culture.
- Systematic racism and bias can be seen in the disproportionately poor health outcomes for Black Americans, such as their higher susceptibility to COVID-19, due to lack of access to quality healthcare, limited access to insurance, and increased incarceration rates.
- Black women in the United States encounter pervasive biases in their sexual and reproductive health, with Black women being three to four times more likely to die during childbirth compared to white women.
- Women of color are significantly less likely to receive postmastectomy breast reconstruction compared to white women, despite the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 mandating insurance coverage for breast reconstruction.
- Programs focused on eradicating health inequities can help break the cycle by promoting education, healthy food access, and family support, and the fight for health equity requires collective effort and understanding through education, self-development, policy-and-legislation, and general news.
