Health care has been a topic of concern for many individuals in the United States, particularly for black women. Historically, black women have faced numerous barriers in accessing appropriate health care. Despite the efforts made to address the disparities, black women continue to experience numerous challenges in the healthcare industry. This essay will explore the factors that make it difficult for black women to access quality healthcare and the potential solutions to this issue. 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 …show more content…
Limited access to primary care, affordable insurance, and specialist services makes it challenging for such women to obtain health care. The underfunding of fertility clinics, reproductive health services, and mental health services furthers the problem. All these challenges disproportionately affect black women, causing them to suffer from specific health issues such as reproductive health issues, obesity, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Additionally, black women are exposed to chronic stressors and discrimination, which can lead to long-lasting detrimental health effects. These stressors are compounded by financial difficulties, racial prejudice, and health care discrimination, leading to mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. These health issues are likely to be overlooked and mistreated, further endangering black women's
Racial division had fueled medical policies for years. African Americans were practically treated like test monkeys, receiving potentially fatal injections and having samples taken from their bodies without their consent. These practices resulted in the Lacks family not receiving their deserved compensation, ultimately revolutionizing the medical industry’s outlook on how minority patients should be cared
In the book Under the Skin by Linda Villarosa, Villarosa gives a lot of information on how she views the historical perspective of health disparities in the United States and throughout the present day. She argued that racism, not race, is the main cause of a health crisis in the Black community
The United States maternal care is on par with many third world countries, and among maternal mortality, African-American women are the ones most
In Invisible Visits, Tina Sacks highlights the healthcare experiences of a severely underrepresented group in American society and clinical research: middle-class Black women. Brought on by the shared experiences of her and her Black, female friends as they navigated adulthood as Black women, specifically healthcare encounters. Sacks sought to understand why the perception of bias and stereotyping affected the healthcare of Black women who are not poor. As noted by Sacks herself, she distinguishes between Black women as an entire group and middle-class Black women because the limited research that exists focuses on poor, Black populations and Black people are not a monolith. Central questions Sacks aims to address in her book are: how do racial
Case Study 2: What Race Has to Do with Breast Cancer Health disparities among difference race groups continue to be a public health concern. Some races have higher chances of being diagnosed to certain types of serious health conditions as opposed to others. In the United States, African-American women continue to have the highest rates of breast cancer, and at higher risk of being diagnosed at a more advance stage of breast cancer. Although, research has demonstrated that biology and genes can put an individual at a higher risk of cancer, researchers are now identifying outside factors that are affecting many more women. For example, an article released by Time “What Race Has to Do with Breast Cancer” social and culture factors, such as social economic status, can greatly determine the health risk outcome.
As research shows, the quality of healthcare, from preconception through postpartum care could be an important factor in improving the well-being of Black mothers (Howell, 2018). Last, as mentioned in class, the social determinants of health are significant factors in Black Maternal health. In further detail, an article written by Crear-Perry, et al. goes into further detail about social needs and the five essentials: awareness, adjustment, assistance, alignment, and advocacy
This may include raising awareness about the impact of racial trauma, microaggressions, and intersectional experiences on mental health. Counselors can also connect clients with relevant community resources, support groups, and networks that cater specifically to the needs of Black women. Counselors can benefit from having a list of advocacy avenues that cater to the specific needs of Black women. This list can serve as a valuable resource for counselors to support their advocacy efforts and provide targeted assistance to their Black women clients. To do this, counselors can research and identify organizations that focus on advocacy and support for Black women's mental health and well-being.
Additionally, limited access to healthcare services resulted in health inequalities, particularly affecting people of color who faced discrimination in medical
The complexity of the United States healthcare system, the cost of care, and bias healthcare provider attitudes hinder healthcare systems from learning more about the African American healthcare needs and experiences. In all healthcare delivery systems, providers must know how to address the health concerns of all
An important determinant of the health of a society is infant health. Unfavorable outcomes of infant health can be premature birth, low birth weight, birth defects, and infant mortality (death of an infant before their first birthday) (Valley Public Radio 2015). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the infant mortality rate in 2015 for non-Hispanic black infants was 11.3. When compared to the lowest infant mortality rate in 2015 of Asian/Pacific Islander infants at 4.2, a substantial national disparity exists. The disparity of black infant health is one that persists.
These barriers can include lack of insurance, stigma, and cultural differences. As a result, African Americans are less likely to receive mental health treatment and are more likely to experience negative outcomes when they do seek help. The lack of access to quality mental health services can lead to untreated mental health issues, which can have long-term consequences for individuals and their communities. Stigma: Stigma surrounding mental health issues is another significant cause of mental health challenges faced by African Americans. Mental health issues are often stigmatized in many communities, including African American communities.
There are four major barriers identified from the above status of the African American population and these are related to socio-economic status of this minority group as most of find healthcare extremely too expensive to obtain. Some of African American are immigrants with various language barriers and has difficulties in understanding the health care need or are scared to talk about their conditions with healthcare providers. Due cultural differences, lifestyles and beliefs acquired from their fore fathers, and are not willing to change from the old way of living to adopt a new healthy ones and lastly, health care workers also discriminate against African American patients and as such that most of them refuse to seek treatment for the ailment because experiences encounter in the past (American Nurses Association,
(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
The lack of financial resources can be a big problem to access to health care. The lack of available finance is a barrier to health care for many Americans but access to health care is reduced most among minority populations. The irregular source of care is another reason why access to health is a disparity. Compared to white individuals ethnic or racial minorities are less likely to be able to visit the same doctor on a regular basis and tend to rely more on clinics and emergency rooms (News Medical Life Sciences). 5.
The physicians partaking in this study wanted to know why this occurred and how it leads to the conclusion it has to do with the effects of racism. The study included African immigrant women and how they did not have the double the rate, that African Americans had compared to White Americans. They concluded that it takes a second