Pseudo to science

Our Goal: To inform individuals about how pseudoscience has become legitimized through experimentation, disease, and education. We hope to address these disparities and guide readers in ways to address these inaccuracies.

Medical School Curriculum

What are some of the ways race is currently framed in medical school curriculum?

That's a really good question! We can trace ideas about race being biological back to writings like Crania Americana that establish a racial hierarchy through "medical" ideals. Unfortunately, despite our understanding that race is NOT biological, medical school curriculum still uses race as a method for diagnosis and drawing broader conclusions. Here are some examples:

Misrepresentation of racial data in the classroom.
- One example of this was found at the University of Pennsylvania. Medical students evaluated the lectures used and noted an under-representation of Asian American, Latin American, and Indigenous data. Beyond that they note that the data that was included about these groups included inconsistent categorization that grouped data about people under broad terms like Asian, South Asian, or East Asian that didn't accurately describe the country of origin. (Park et al. 2022)
- This lack of accurate data prevents accurate tracking of disease which prevents proper treatment. If med students aren't given correct data about at-risk communities, there is no expectation that they can PROPERLY treat those communities.
Conclusions about Racial Groups without context
- In a study done by Emory University, it was found that medical schools often present disease linked to a racial identity without context. In this instance, they look at the Akimel O’odham (also known as Pima) people. In the US, the Pima have been represented as high risk for Type 2 Diabetes. However, the Pima who reside in Mexico experience lower rates of diabetes and obesity than those in the United States, despite high degrees of genetic similarity. The higher rates in the US can be tracked not to biology, but instead to a lack of access to nutrient rich foods and clean water resources. (Amutah et al., 2021)
- This lack of understanding of structural factors that can contribute to disease in minority groups risks mischarecterizing the problem as one of race and not as one of societal inequity.

But What Can We Do About These Discrepancies?

It's important to understand that race can provide context when understood not as a biological concept, but as one that can contriubute to structural barriers. In order to reduce the inequity present in medical schools there a few changes that can be made:

Reevaluating Medical School Curriculum
- One issue with medical school curriculum is that it lacks context. Nina Owen-Simon, a surgical resident and MPH student, suggests that medical schools could benefit from adopting a medicine specific form of CRT, that explains how structural barriers have created increased likelihood for health disparities. (Owen-Simon, 2022) This doesn't necessarily have to be its own class. Incorporating these discussions into current medical school curriculum forces professors and students alike to challenge ideas of race and disease they may currently hold.
Creating Change at Teaching Hospitals
- It isn't just about making change in classrooms. Teaching hospitals must also reevaluate their instruction. As students develop diagnostic skills in the clinical setting, instructors should demonstrate when and where it is appropriate to place symptoms and disease in the context of race. Teaching hospitals should encourage the understanding of structural factors as a barrier to medicine instead of using race as a shortcut to a diagnosis. (Nieblas-Bedolla et al., 2020)

Experimentation

The history of Experimentation in Medicine

On my website, I talk about how different racist ideologies contribute to the formation of pseudoscience. That pseudoscience then affects how Black and Brown people are distributed healthcare; This also affects also how physicians treat their BIPOC patients. [There is also an audio recording (with additional information) of the information stated on the website.]

Website: https://hnmedicalexperimentation.my.canva.site

Audio version: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGDc5r1WbQ/-6DVltKeU2zdUHNjAIjI9w/view?utm_content=DAGDc5r1WbQ&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=editor

Disease

How is disease used to divide races?

Disease has long been utilized as a tool to divide races, perpetuating harmful stereotypes and exacerbating existing disparities in health outcomes. Throughout history, certain diseases have been associated with specific racial or ethnic groups, leading to stigmatization, discrimination, and unequal access to healthcare. By examining how disease has been used to divide races, we can better understand the intersection of pseudoscience, systemic racism, and public health, and work towards dismantling these harmful narratives. In this section, we will explore how diseases such as yellow fever, syphilis, and COVID-19 have been used to perpetuate racial divisions, perpetuate pseudoscientific beliefs, and contribute to health disparities that plague marginalized communities.

Yellow Fever

Yellow fever, a viral hemorrhagic fever transmitted by mosquitoes, has had a disproportionate impact on Black communities throughout history. The misunderstanding of yellow fever's transmission and the pseudoscientific beliefs surrounding it heightened the disparities in its impact on Black individuals.

Historical Misconceptions: Early theories attributed yellow fever to miasma, or "bad air," rather than to the Aedes aegypti mosquito (yellow fever mosquito). These beliefs led to the false notion that Black individuals were inherently more susceptible to the disease due to their living conditions, perpetuating racist stereotypes. (Espinosa, 2014)
Legitimization of Pseudoscience: Some historical figures, including physicians and scientists, endorsed pseudoscientific theories about yellow fever's cause and transmission, further perpetuating the idea that Black individuals were biologically predisposed to the disease. These beliefs contributed to discriminatory practices and policies. (Espinosa, 2014)
Addressing Disparities: Pseudoscientific beliefs about yellow fever contributed to disparities in its impact on Black communities, who often faced limited access to healthcare and resources for prevention and treatment. By acknowledging and addressing the historical roots of these disparities, we can work towards promoting health equity and dismantling systemic racism in healthcare.

(LabXchange, 2024)

Syphilis

Syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum, has had a profound impact on Black communities, with historical and ongoing disparities in access to care and treatment.

Historical Misconceptions: Misinformation and stigma surrounding syphilis have disproportionately affected Black individuals, with historical beliefs attributing the disease to moral failings or inherent racial characteristics. These misconceptions have perpetuated stigma and hindered efforts to promote testing and treatment. (CDC, 2022)
Ineffective Treatments: Pseudoscientific remedies for syphilis, such as mercury-based treatments, were often administered to Black patients without their consent or adequate information about the risks involved. These treatments not only failed to cure the disease but also caused severe harm (Tuskegee Experiment). To learn more, watch the video above, under "experimentations." (CDC, 2022)
Education and Stigma: Pseudoscientific ideas about syphilis have contributed to stigma within Black communities, making it difficult for individuals to seek testing and treatment without fear of judgment or discrimination. By addressing stigma and promoting culturally competent healthcare, we can improve access to care and reduce inequalities in healthcare.

COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted existing disparities in health outcomes for Black communities, with higher rates of infection, hospitalization, and mortality compared to other racial and ethnic groups.

Spread of Misinformation: Throughout the pandemic, misinformation about COVID-19 has disproportionately affected Black communities, with false claims about the virus's origins, transmission, and treatments circulating widely. This misinformation has undermined public health efforts and contributed to vaccine hesitancy. (Reyes, 2020)
Impact on Public Health: Pseudoscientific beliefs about COVID-19 have influenced public attitudes and behaviors, exacerbating disparities in infection rates and outcomes for Black individuals. Structural factors such as limited access to healthcare, economic inequality, and systemic racism have further compounded these disparities. (Reyes, 2020)

While it seems like the impacts of disease on racial health disparities have improved, it is largely the same story told in a different voice. To combat these racial issues, it is imperative that we continue to advocate for evidence-based approaches to disease prevention and control while centering the voices and experiences of those most affected by these injustices.

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