Examining and addressing racism, discrimination, and social inequalities as root causes of health disparities has become an important goal for many in the health care community. This is slow and difficult work. It can be threatening to acknowledge that we live and participate in networks and systems geared to work better for some than for […]
health equity
How individual providers can help address health disparities
Addressing health disparities can seem overwhelming, especially at a time when health professionals are already under immense demands–and pressures to be almost superhuman. Yet often, the providers I talk to espouse values of equity and justice. National Minority Health Month draws attention to how Americans have experienced variable access to care based on race, ethnicity, socioeconomic […]
Linking everyday conversations and health disparities
Recent research has shown how public health, medical care, and human service providers can unintentionally contribute to racial and ethnic health disparities. This is distressing, and almost unbelievable, considering that most health professionals genuinely seek to give good care to all patients and clients. Yet, there are documented links between health care professionals’ unconscious bias, and […]