Embedded Files
Introduction:
Black women are always being targeted for things that are beyond their control. Being able to receive the proper healthcare benefits should not be solely based on race and black women specifically shouldn't be discriminated against about what they can receive and what they can't receive especially because healthcare is so important in today's society in our democracy it has been stated that everyone should be treated fairly and in fact these women are not being treated fairly at all.
“ People of color continue to suffer from the failure to resolve these arguments; Black and Latino Americans still have the highest uninsured rates in the country and still shoulder a disproportionate share of the nation's poor health outcomes, But they are not alone.”
How Does The Healthcare System Impact The Lives Of Black Women?
How does the healthcare system impact the lives of black women? This question is not asked enough, as it should be especially regarding the fact that black women take up to 50% of our world's population. Women's health is also not talked about enough as it should be, but this is exactly what I will be talking about and shining light on in this because black women's health should be prioritized as much as anyone else health is. Most of the problem stems from the racial gap in today’s society and social status. These two play the biggest role in the little treatment black women are and also the treatment that they aren’t receiving. This quote, “ People of color continue to suffer from the failure to resolve these arguments; Black and Latino Americans still have the highest uninsured rates in the country and still shoulder a disproportionate share of the nation's poor health outcomes, But they are not alone.” This quote came from the 1619 Project in the chapter Medicine. This is one of the many quotes that back up my original question of “How does the healthcare system impact the lives of Black woman?” this quote in fact backs up my question and also answer the question of how much Black women are not being supported, but instead being left to figure it out themselves. As the quote mentions, “people of color continue to suffer” meaning that nothing has changed and nothing is being changed. Because if so, then this would not be a thing, Black Women would be getting the care that they need and the care that they deserve
Cesarean Sections
What is a Cesarean Section other known as a C-section? A c-section is a surgery conducted in order to deliver a baby. There are two kinds of ways to deliver a baby, one being vaginally and the other being a c-section. When thinking about the birthing rates of black women and white women, black women have higher odds of undergoing a C-section, and 36% of black women undergo surgical deliveries which include C-sections as one of the surgical deliveries. In the past years from 2019 -2021, cesarean delivery rates were the highest for black infants. The percentage was 36.2% out of the rates of Hispanic women and white women.
"Know how to keep their mouths shut when it comes to issues of diversity, inclusion, and race."
Racism in Health Care
Do you think that the healthcare system should be based on what race you are and how you identify yourself? Do you think that it is right to turn down an African American female who is in need of serious medical attention but kindly help out white women in need of the same medical attention? A lot of people today still don’t want to believe or accept the fact that a lot of things that go wrong with different patients in the healthcare field are solely based on the fact that they are being discriminatory against them and nobody is doing anything about it. Receiving medical attention should not be based on how you present yourself, it only should be based on if you need it or not. Whether you are black, white, puerto rican, or native american should not have any influence on the attention that you should rightfully get and rightfully receive. In the article, Racism Is Still A Problem in Healthcare’s C-Suite. They mention the role that black professionals have to face in their workspace, racism not only happens to the patients, it also happens to the workers as well. As this quote states, “Black professionals who hope to reach administrative positions in hospital systems know to keep their mouths shut when it comes to issues of diversity, inclusion, and race.” Reading this comment really saddens me for the individuals that have to go through this or for the individuals that did previously went through something like this. You should never feel like you are being watched in the way you work or the way you do your job. Additionally, they specifically stated that they, “know to keep their mouths shut when it comes to issues of diversity, inclusion, and race” This statement is absurd, not only are they grown adults, but they should be able to bring and discuss whatever they feel the need to discuss without any issues nor any threats.
Health Care In Prisons
The health care that women receive on a regular basis is not enough as it is, so you can only imagine how it is while in prison. While in prison you aren't necessarily equipt with the things that you need, and the things that you are given in an extremely small portion, so if we are thinking about the health care portion of it, and how much medical attention we think these women are actually getting I can only imagine that receiving health care/ medical attention is way worse than it is in the outside world. This article admits that “Women prisoners reported that imprisonment impacted negatively upon their health.” Over a million prisoners have died while in prison due to medical neglect. “Over the long term, women complained of detention in unhygienic facilities by regimes that operated to disempower them, including in the management of their own health.” In this kind of instance, women especially should be met with some type of sufficient medical care. Not only are women easily susceptible to getting UTIs and any other bacterial infection, but they also get their menstrual cycle at least on time every month. Being in a not-so-clean environment and not being equipt with what you need is very crucial to your health.
“Over the long term, women complained of detention in unhygienic facilities by regimes that operated to disempower them, including in the management of their own health.”
“Women prisoners report higher rates of violent victimization and ill-health on a range of physical and mental health indicators.”
"37 percent of black women and 41 percent of black men believed that birth control programs were part of a conspiracy to eliminate the black population."
Race and Abortion
The subject of abortion is one that is incredibly sensitive and quite controversial. Abortion is a right that is available to everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity, at any time. While some people may agree with the idea of it, there are others that completely reject the idea. Abortions are more common among the African American population in general. But if we are being more specific we are talking about black women. According to this report, “37 percent of black women and 41 percent of black men believed that birth control programs were part of a conspiracy to eliminate the black population.” I want you to consider how it might feel to be told what to do with your body. Or even better, being targeted to terminate your pregnancy to control the population of your own race. With a death rate that is three to four times greater than that of white women, black women are heavily disproportionately affected by maternal mortality. And abortion and maternal death rates among black women have long been connected. Abortion is legal in the U.S. and some studies have shown and found that black women are more likely to get one than white women. I wonder why this is the case. This is probably because of their low economic status and limited access to healthcare facilities and treatment. In the healthcare atmosphere, black women often experience a lot of racism and prejudice, which then leads to lower-quality care for them and then this eventually complicates and worsens any previous medical concerns that may arise.
Final Thoughts
Racism in the healthcare field is deeply concerning and is a very present problem. Recognizing these racial inequalities in healthcare matters because they then lead to less equitable access to high-quality care and worse health outcomes for underrepresented communities. these biases can influence healthcare professionals decision-making processes, leading to unequal treatment and continuous systemic inequalities. Additionally, diversifying the healthcare workplace is of utmost importance. Encouraging and supporting individuals from underrepresented communities. Furthermore, healthcare organizations should prioritize the recruitment and retention of diverse staff members at all levels, fostering an environment that values and embraces differences.
Page updated
Report abuse