Discrimination within the United States Health Care System

Discrimination within the United States Health Care System

The recent events of the global pandemic have been uniquely devastating across the planet. Delay and lack of relief efforts towards those most affected is a vile representation of global care for our most vulnerable citizens. Although Covid-19 is an aggressive disease, it does not know names, race, and does not choose who it infects. Yet other issues such as racial bias, socioeconomic discrimination, and inequitable access to medical care shows the infectious element of not only Covid, but structural racism as well. Disparities in Covid infections and lack of proper care sit on the shoulders of structural racism.

Discrimination in medicine against Black people can be traced back to slavery. During these times, it was believed that because slaves were Black, their skin was thicker, and therefore they were not able to endure pain like white people did. This same mentality has carried throughout America for centuries. According to aamc.org, it discusses how in 2012, a study was made to show the differences in treatment during surgery when the patient was Black vs when the patient was white. The study concluded that the hospital was more likely to give the Black patient a decreased amount of pain medication. In many other settings, Black patients were 22% less likely than white patients to even receive pain medication. The mindset that the healthcare system has with Black patients can be seen even with Covid. When Covid was first announced, there were numerous resources claiming that Black people cannot get Covid. Although this was the butt of many jokes, it just exemplifies how the world sees Black skin as inhumane, to the point where their health is taken as a joke.

To add, throughout the end of Trump's administration, we have seen political leaders mishandle re-opening and shutting down parts of our country for economic benefit, thus costing thousands of civilian lives. The pandemic has shined a light on the most pressing issue of gatekeeping medical access and relief. Statistics have shown that marginalized communities are dying from Covid at disproportionately faster rates than non-marginalized communities. According to brookings.edu , it states, “Death rates among Black people between 55-64 years are higher than for white people aged 65-74, and death rates are higher for Blacks aged 65-74 than for whites aged 75-84, and so on”. In every category, Black Americans are dying at higher rates than white Americans. This is supported by the fact that African Americans have greater representation in service occupations as essential workers and have greater chances of living in cities with high population density, thus increasing the average rate of transition.

Finally, African American populations have also been targets of structural racism, which increases certain risk factors such as food insecurity, housing instability, limited transportation, and being less likely to have medical insurance. This affects African Americans today because many African Americans do not even trust the healthcare system that was supposed to protect them. Due to Black people having an extensive exploitative relationship with healthcare, African Americans are more likely to be distrustful of not just the healthcare system, but all systems that were placed in America. Until America can get rid of the implicit bias put on African Americans, there will forever be a divide within our country.