ipl-logo

African American Women's Medical Mistrust In Relation To The US Healthcare System

1874 Words8 Pages

Abstract: African American women experience a myriad of complex factors when it comes to their relationship with the US healthcare system. Factors such as systemic racism, historical mistrust, and knowledge all play a factor in their quality of care. This paper examines the phenomenon of medical mistrust among African American women and its effects on care, with a focus on the role of radiologic technologists in addressing those factors and supporting cultural competence. Through a review of the literature, this paper explores the historical context of medical mistrust, factors affecting medical imaging utilization, and experiences of discrimination. Increasing awareness and cultural competence of radiologic technologists will allow for a more …show more content…

African American Women’s Medical Mistrust in Relation to the US Healthcare System The relationship between African American women and the US healthcare system is often described as mistrust. This mistrust stems from a history of unethical practices, systematic racism, and lack of equitable care. The radiologic technologist is a key provider of diagnostic imaging and plays a vital role in healthcare delivery. They must apply proper communication skills with all patients, regardless of cultural background and beliefs, to provide care and build trust among diverse patients. Building cultural competence can provide a better understanding of African American women's experiences, perspectives, and needs. All of which can assist in providing better quality care to an underserved population. This paper is designed to investigate the development of medical mistrust among African American women and the impact it has on healthcare utilization. The specific purpose of addressing these impacts within the radiologic technology profession is to increase cultural competence in radiologic technologists and allied healthcare professionals. This will help move toward addressing equitable access to care, decrease health illiteracy among African American women, and increase patient-provider communication in a culturally congruent manner. Enhanced awareness of medical mistrust and the role it plays in the provision of healthcare can harness the influence of radiologic technologists in ensuring high-quality, equitable, and inclusive healthcare procedures in which all patients, irrespective of race, ethnicity, and cultural background, receive optimal-quality

Show More
Related
206 Words | 1 Pages

After reading Dr. Galanti 's articles about culturally competent healthcare please answer the following questions: What did you gain from reading Dr. Galanti 's article? Dr. Galanti provides insight into the relationship between cultural diversity and heath care providers. Dr. Galanti’s briefly states the difference between “stereotype and generalization”. The author recognizes that generalization may be a key factor used by workers in the health care community to bring awareness and a better understanding of cultural differences among patients. The article explains that although cultures differ in values, traditions, and beliefs, there are questions (the 4’C’s of culture) that may open up the line of communication, between provider and

Read More
426 Words | 2 Pages

This was 1951 in Baltimore, segregation was law, and it was understood that black people didn't question white people's professional judgment. Many black patients were just glad to be getting treatment since discrimination in hospitals was widespread” (Skloot

Read More
828 Words | 4 Pages

Also in hospitals most patients did not question there doctors even white patients. Rebecca Skloot states, "Especially black patients in public wards. This was 1951 in Baltimore, segregation was law, and it was understood that black people didn’t question white people’s professional judgment" (Skloot, 63). This example demonstrates that Africans were not equal in the hospital setting even in the wards they were treated in. Skloot continues and states, "Many black patients were just glad to be getting treatment, since discrimination in hospitals was widespread"(Skloot, 63).

Read More
540 Words | 3 Pages

By the third year, their patient increased from 10% to 40%. Many are African Americans and Hispanics. The staff, however doesn’t reflect the patients’ diversity. The staff is 85% Caucasian, including nurses, laboratory technologies, pharmacists, and therapists. There are two African American and one Hispanic managers.

Read More
1566 Words | 7 Pages

In medicine, racism has affected people in a negative way. As people from different races appear in hospitals today, they stay in the same rooms, undergo the same treatments, and receive the same cares and concerns. This was not always the case. Patients of color would be put into a separate part of the hospital.

Read More
938 Words | 4 Pages

Being both African American and female took its toll on Crumpler’s practices, yet she persisted. While focusing on her studies at the New England Female Medical College, Crumpler was ridiculed by colleagues. “She faced intense racism and sexism working as a physician in the postwar South” (Balzer). Knowing the light at the end of the tunnel would be her promising career as a physician, Crumpler kept going despite the abuse. “White doctors ignored her, made jokes at her expense and discounted her work” (“Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler”).

Read More
913 Words | 4 Pages

Byrd and Clayton note, “A virtually universal assumption of black inferiority at the social, religious, and scientific levels also served to rationalize, legitimize and intensify medical participation in…the slave system.” (Byrd 185) This provided the justification for medical professionals to engage in racism towards their patients and their justification for not promoting African American medical education. Their underrepresentation in the medical profession remained fairly constant at two percent for most of the 20th century. (Byrd 205)

Read More
490 Words | 2 Pages

The work of J. Marion Sims contributed to the spread of this mistrust as he violated numerous black women in his pursuit to learn more about female anatomy. Today, mistrust in the black community can be seen in the way they have little trust in medical healers and their services. A frequent reason for this mistrust is the fear that medical healers will prioritize the care of white patients and minimize the symptoms of black patients. This fear is legitimized when considering the acts of J. Marion Sims and how he spread misinformation about black people's anatomy and minimized black women's symptoms and

Read More
488 Words | 2 Pages

One of the major obstacles affecting black women's access to health care is systemic racism. Racial biases pose a significant danger to black women, as they affect their physical and mental well-being. Studies have shown that race-based medical biases can result in incorrect diagnoses, prolonged wait times, treatment delays, and neglect. These issues make it challenging for black women to receive prompt and adequate health care. Additionally, many black women lack health

Read More
829 Words | 4 Pages

Racism in the Medical Field Racism has existed in the medical field for over 2,500 years. Where people of certain races, religions, and genders are all discriminated against by the people in this world who are supposed to help them. Doctors take an oath to treat all patients with equity, yet still some patients are prone to bigoted racism. However it goes the other way as well, even doctors experience racial prejudice by patients and their families.

Read More
767 Words | 4 Pages

Health care systems must create statements of policy which will help to eliminate racial injustice and develop culturally competent services. Clarification of racial equality is the basic key that legislation must apply to health policies and practices. Realistic and practical strategies are need to properly respond to the requirements of black minority ethnic communities. We will need to include more efficient programs to educate young adults and children what racial equality is, and how important it is in the health care field. There must be specific guidelines that hospitals must push for in every professional individual.

Read More
1026 Words | 5 Pages

It's often shown non-black doctors believe black women and men have high pain tolerance or they have thicker skin so they don't believe them when they tell them they are in pain. “In the 2016 study, for example, trainees who believed that black people are not as sensitive to pain as white people were less likely to treat black people’s pain appropriately. ”(Sabin”how we fail”) That's one of the main reasons it's very important because they are less likely to treat black people's pain appropriately simply because of their prejudiced

Read More
534 Words | 3 Pages

Hallmarks of cultural competence, including role development and self-discovery, play an instrumental part in the cultural diversity within an organization as a whole. Diversity stems from the top, from CEO’s and executive boards, and trickles down to employees and patients. However, one thing I learned in this course is that people hold biases that they are unaware of and that cultural competence does not happen overnight. With this acquired knowledge, it has been brought to my attention about which implicit biases I hold and how I can work to eliminate them. Secondly, language access services, as an aspiring speech-language pathologist, play a direct role in my future career because I want to give a voice to the often misunderstood.

Read More
569 Words | 3 Pages

Listening to these physicians talk about how people of color are not in positions such as surgeon, specialist, engineers and etc., so they do not treat these diseases that affect their minority groups. With a lack of underrepresented groups in the medical field many patients in that group do not receive the best health care, for example heart related issues in many African Americans are not addressed till these issues are serious,

Read More
1285 Words | 6 Pages

(Black, 2013) Numerous reports have been presented by medical professionals regarding this discriminatory issue and will be cited throughout. Poor health and higher than average death rates can be

Read More

More about African American Women's Medical Mistrust In Relation To The US Healthcare System

Open Document