Reflective Paper: Black Man in A White Coat
Healthcare has always been complicated for those that are lower income and those that are a minority. Racial inequality has been seen for years, where the minority are less likely than whites to receive proper medical treatment. In the book, Black Man in a White Coat: A Doctor’s Reflection on Race and Medicine, looks at healthcare through the eyes of an African American doctor and the surrounding community. Dr. Tweedy faced racism from his peers, his teachers, and supervisors and the black and white community. The most significant impact was the treatment Mr. Gary Warren with his diagnosis of high blood pressure and being seen for chest pain. The medical provider diagnosis him with a psychiatric disorder
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It may be due to the social determinants of the black community that may have to lead the doctors to assume that black minorities do not care enough for their health or think they do not have enough money to pay for care. When a minority decides to make their own decision of their healthcare, doctors may have firm opinions that may lead to unjust treatment. One example of social determinants that affect the health of the population and increase health disparities is the access to healthcare. Racial and ethnic minorities often experience higher disease burdens varying from preventive, acute and chronic conditions. They are more likely to be non-immunized, receive care of lower quality and lack preventive services. Similarly, they are more likely to live in a medically underserved area that lacks an adequate supply of healthcare providers (Poghosyan & Carthon, 2017). There is also the effect of cultural and racial matter that can affect population health, like communication. Patient-centered care can be more challenging when medical providers and patient has cultural communication barriers. This can be a difference between the provider and the patient on ideas of treatment and expectations of treatment (Orom, 2016). This can interfere with patient improvement …show more content…
Dr. Tweedy (2015) discusses in his book the difference in care, from those living in an affluent city and those in a low-income area. How it played a part in those minorities in taking care of themselves. Clinics are very rare and providing adequate care is difficult especially when there is a significant volume of patients to be seen. Medical providers need to ensure that patient like Gary Warren is getting the proper treatment (Tweedy, 2015). Even though he was educated on his diagnosis, the next patient might
Jean Giddens (2013) defines culture as “a pattern of shared attitudes, beliefs, self-definitions, norms, roles, and values that can occur among those who speak a particular language, or live in a defined geographical region.” (Giddens, 2013). A person’s culture influences every aspect that person’s life. Beliefs affected by culture include how someone interacts within the family, how to raise children, the types of foods eaten, the style of clothes chosen, which religion is practiced, and the style of communication (including verbal, and body language, slang used etc.) (Giddens, 2013). In addition to these beliefs, health care practices are also affected by culture. The cause
I was very intrigued to hear about a book that was once again positively depicting a black man. It allowed me to think about how media and society has motioned us to not think of black men as CEO’s, doctors, and lawyers when we first hear of them. Dr. Tweedy’s memoir on how he has experienced racial issues, and finds health problems in the black community is very uplifting to know he wanted to pursue what was occurring. Though he was not from the south, he mentioned unequal practices that did occur in the south. Dr. Tweedy noticed many discreptencies within the black community economically, socially, and culturally. Dr. Tweedy endured a lot of discrimination during his process of becoming a physician, and of course after his process. As I previously stated, this notion is from this disgusting negative connation mostly white people receive from black men. Dr. Tweedy hope to work in an area where he would not have to endure racial tension; however, his future though otherwise and he was exposed to a harsh experience of institutionalized racism first hand. It was an fortunate and unfortunate case that race influenced Dr. Tweedy relationship with patients. It was an advantage because it opened his eyes to the discreptencies with black Americans in healthcare, and it was a disadvantage that he sustained racial incidents to bring this situation to the light. Dr. Tweedy well
... cultural barriers to care. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 18(1), 44-52. Retrieved from http://proxy.samuelmerritt.edu:2106/pmc/articles/PMC1494812/
Health disparity is one of the burdens that contributes to our healthcare system in providing equal healthcare to everyone regarding of race, age, race, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status to achieve good health. Research reveals that racial and ethnic minorities are likely to receive lower quality of healthcare services than white Americans.
Studies have analyzed how African Americans deal with an enormous amount of disease, injury, death, and disability compared to other ethnic group, and whites, Utilization of health services by African Americans is less frequent than other ethnic groups in the country. This non utilization of services contributes to health disparities amongst African Americans in the United States. Current and past studies have shown that because of discrimination, medical mistrust, racial/ethnic background, and poor communication African Americans tend to not seek medical care unless they are in dire need or forced to seek professional care. African Americans would rather self –medicate than to trust a doctor who might show some type of discriminatory
Although ethnic minorities have access to Health Care’s such as GP’s and Hospitals, it does not mean that they get equal care to the White British groups. Pilgrim and Rogers have noted “Black People have different perceptions of services from white users, whether one of mistrust or of cynicism about the quality of treatment they might receive” (Barry,A.M and Yuill, C: 2012) Afro- Caribbean group tend to not see GP’s or other healthcare professions, men tend to just let things health and women tend to use home remedies. In Donovan’s research with Black People’s Health, Men say they do not go to GP’s because they do not like doctors and because of the waiting times. Carlton “I don’t like waitin when I’m sick, I’d rather just go home, sleep it off” (Donovan, J: 1986) Black minorities having a high percentage in mental illnesses, Black people are both over represented in admissions to psychiatric hospitals (Bhui et al. 2003), more likely to be admitted compulsorily and placed in secure units, and more likely to have been in conflict with the police (Barry, A.M and Yuill, C: 2012) Because they are seen as threatening and aggressive. As a result, ethnic minorities not just Black Minorities make less use of psychiatric services than white people. (Donovan, J:
According to the institute of Medicine (IOM), racism is a problem in the health care system, that is, the difference between the quality of health care received by minorities and non-minorities is due to racism. IOM is a nonprofit organization that advises the federal government and the public on science policy. It released a report that on average, minorities receive a lower quality of care, even when factors such as income and type of health insurance are accounted for. The report by IOM states that racial stereotypes and prejudice are the cause of the health care disparities. The article by IOM points ...
There is a lack of conceptual clarity with cultural competence in the field and the research community. Cultural competence is seen as encompassing only racial and ethnic differences, and omitting other population groups who are ethnically and racially similar to providers, but are stigmatized or discriminated against, who are different in other identities, and have some differences in their health care needs that have resulted in health disparities. (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality,
Healthcare disparities are when there are inequalities or differences of the conditions of health and the quality of care that is received among specific groups of people such as African Americans, Caucasians, Asians, or Hispanics. Not only does it occur between racial and ethnic groups, health disparities can happen between males and females as well. Minorities have the worst healthcare outcomes, higher death rates, and are more prone to terminal diseases. For African American men and women, some of the most common health disparities are diabetes, cancer, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and HIV infections. Some factors that can contribute to disparities are healthcare access, transportation, specialist referrals, and non-effective communication with patients. There is also much racism that still occurs today, which can be another reason African Americans may be mistreated with their healthcare. “Although both black and white patients tended not to endorse the existence of racism in the medical system, African Americans patients were more likely to perceive racism” (Laveist, Nickerson, Bowie, 2000). Over the years, the health care system has made improvements but some Americans, such as African Americans, are still being treating unequally when wanting the same care they desire as everyone else.
The diversity among the U.S. population is very large and continue to grow, especially the Hispanic group. More so, health promotion can be defined or perceived in many ways depends on the minority group and their culture beliefs. As health care provider, recognizing and providing cultural competent is very important. In addition, assessing the health disparities among the minority group and teaching them how to promote good health will benefit along the way. Furthermore, health care providers have the role to promote good health but without proper education and acknowledge cultural awareness will be impossible to accomplish.
There has been a rapid growth in minorities in the U.S. particularly the Hispanic/ Latino community. Bureau of Health Professions (2013) studies have shown that with the rapid increase of this culture, Hispanics are not being adequately understood by medical professionals because of underrepresentation within the medical field. The after effects of underrepresentation have caused healthcare issues among this population. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2006) there has been a correlation between patient satisfaction and medical professionals of the same culture.
(Bassett & TEDMED, 2015.) While watching Bassett’s speech, I was quickly reminded of chapter six of our book, “Health Policy for Diverse Populations”. “Why Your Doctor Should Care About Social Justice” is extremely relevant to chapter six. Chapter six goes into great detail about vulnerable populations, identifying policy issues for racial and ethnic minorities, low-income families, uninsured families, and subpopulations like the elderly, chronically ill, mentally ill, the disabled, the homeless, women and children, and also for people with HIV/AIDS. As it goes hand-in-hand with Bassett’s speech, this chapter states, “Racial and ethnic minorities experience significant problems in accessing high-quality healthcare, leading to disparities in health status compared to the white, non-Hispanic population.”
The reason blacks are the most unrepresented in health care comes from a variety of reasons. It could range from education, social class, to pure racism. Blacks on average die 3 times more than their white counter parts for the exact same procedure in hospitals (James 22). Some call this a coincidence, and some call it racism and discrimination at its best. Aside from that one main reason blacks aren’t getting the health care they need is because of education.
An individual’s culture and belief may significantly impact the type of services they require. In addition, it may affect the time, place, and method in the delivery of health care
In addition, the cost of medical care for impoverished people has seen significant increases due to physician diagnosis. Also in Fields and Taylor’s book, social inequality characterizes the quality of health and the quality of health care. People from disadvantaged social backgrounds are more likely to become ill and to receive inadequate health care. In addition, partly to increase their incomes, physicians have tried to control the practice of medicine and to define social problems as medical problems. The list is endless for people who do not receive adequate healthcare and the practices which prevent are more often times than not result from unethical practices by doctors.