There is no denying that there is implicit bias’ and racial disparities in our healthcare system that often leaves people of color (POC) less likely to seek care and less effective management when care is sought. This leads to high prevalence of chronic conditions, lower quality of life, and shorter life spans. In a study by the National Academy of Medicine it is shown that racial and ethnic minorities receive lower-quality health care than white people—even when insurance status, income, age, and severity of conditions are comparable. This can be due to the implicit bias, meaning a bias a provider may not even be aware they have against POC. Here at GIC we take all your concerns seriously and will treat you to the absolute best of our ability.
When it comes to gynecologic care these healthcare disparities become even more important. African American women have a three fold age-adjusted risk of developing fibroids at some point in their lifetime, and suffer greater prevalence of postoperative complications. Racial and ethnic disparities also exist when it comes to treating patients who are experiencing pain, such as that related to conditions of the pelvis. Institute of Medicine has found on average white women’s complaints of pain were often addressed at a much higher rate than for POC. This leads to further issues down the line as diseases can progress and then require more invasive procedures to correct.
If you are looking for kind, compassionate, and competent care and are not sure where to turn, come see us at GIC. Here we not only acknowledge these disparities exist but we work tirelessly every day to ensure that we can overcome them.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3874080/
https://academic.oup.com/painmedicine/article/4/3/277/1862837
https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/publications/human_rights_magazine_home/the-state-of-healthcare-in-the-united-states/racial-disparities-in-health-care/