The hospital is a place for healing. However, in Dane County and across the country, racial inequality and health care disparities, especially among Black patients, require some healing of their own.
It can take on many forms in a hospital room. Dismissive and disrespectful attitudes. Longer wait times. Stereotypes about unhealthy lifestyles and diets. Assumptions about insurance that sometimes affect prescriptions.
It can range from disheartening inconveniences, like not having culturally appropriate personal care items, to dangerous outcomes, like a misdiagnosis or a recommendation for an unnecessary surgery such as a hysterectomy...
...moreIt can range from disheartening inconveniences, like not having culturally appropriate personal care items, to dangerous outcomes, like a misdiagnosis or a recommendation for an unnecessary surgery such as a hysterectomy...
...“Racism in health care is and has been a major issue,” says local nurse Kylie Kilmain. “But I’ve never seen any of my co-workers blatantly give different care to patients because of their skin color. From what I’ve experienced, a lot of poor outcomes result from unconscious bias. Our education mainly focuses on white people and what their symptoms and lab results translate to.”...
Ken Notes: This is a very interesting story. One of the most difficult stories to tell is that today many of the problems come not from overt or intentional prejudice, but rather from systemic policy or a simple lack of cultural understanding.
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- - Volume: 10 - WEEK: 35 Date: 8/24/2022 4:34:14 PM -