Racism.
The very word makes the majority of people uncomfortable. A discomfort that fails to even remotely compare to the effects of actually experiencing racism.
Daily effects include stress, anxiety, burnout, loss of interest, hopelessness, depression, etc. Racism in medicine, however, leads to delayed diagnoses, inadequate treatment, unnecessary interventions, insufficient counseling, impairment or loss of fertility, higher maternal mortality, and higher cardiovascular mortality. MORTALITY.
Yet there are medical providers and healthcare workers that are still confused by the distrust that many non-white patients have of the medical system.
I’m not confused.
An article published earlier this week in the NY times discusses “racial bias” (read as racism) in medicine. I must admit that I struggle with the title, “Race and Medicine: The Harm that Comes from Mistrust.” The harm is not from the mistrust. It is from the racism that has led to the mistrust. My African ancestors didn’t teach themselves to distrust the medical system. The system taught us that. From stolen fertility to prolonged syphilis infections, the medical crimes against people of color have very effectively and consistently fostered the distrust that is highlighted as “harmful” today.
What is interesting, is how recent studies have shown that black patients receive better care when seen by black doctors. Other studies have found that racially matched patient-doctor pairs have better communication. These are findings that ultimately illustrate that the patient’s race isn’t what needs to be changed, just the person in the white coat. Because race isn’t a modifiable risk factor, racism is.
The burden then is not on the patient to somehow overcome their historically validated mistrust. It is on the medical system to earn the trust back. A good start is intentional recruitment and retention of a diverse population of physicians.
If you are one of the millions of people who distrust the medical system, I want you to know that I understand your distrust. As a physician, I’m willing to do the work to earn your trust back.
