New research sheds light on racism in healthcare. In a survey of more than 6,000 patients, more than half of Black adults said they felt they needed to pay close attention to their appearance to receive fair treatment from their doctors. The study comes two years after KCRA investigators first revealed how Black doctors face discrimination in the health care system. Patients say bedside stigma has a huge impact on their health. | PREVIOUS ARTICLE | Lawsuit alleges Sutter Health targets minority doctors to 'maintain their order' Her Viva Story Biba Asmerash's mother… He passed away after a 10-year battle with spinal cord disease. What Biba witnessed at the hospital continues to take its toll. “I can’t count the number of times we have been the victims of microaggressions,” she said. “Not just from the doctors, but also from the nurse support staff.” Biba says she feels this treatment is because of her skin color. “One time, her nurse told me that I was being very aggressive in defending her mother,” Biba said. “I can guarantee you that if I were a 60-year-old white man, she wouldn't have said I was aggressively advocating for her mother.” Before her birth, Biba was an obstetrician. I spoke honestly with the doctor and took matters into my own hands. “Listen, as a Black woman, I often feel like I'm not being heard by my doctor. “She asked me to share more. He listened,” she said. This conversation led to her medical experience filled with confidence for her and her daughter. Monica's Story Monica Washington She has three children. Monica Washington also suffered three consecutive miscarriages starting in 2020. “It turns out that yes, I should have been treated completely differently,” Monica Washington said. she wondered, defending herself. What are the tests and standard procedures? “She said no, this woman,'' Washington said. At the time, she wondered if her pregnancy should have been considered “high risk” and begged her doctor to give her an additional ultrasound. She used to try to convince me that she just didn't need it,” Washington said. She developed an infection during her third miscarriage and was taken to the emergency room. She asked her medical staff, “Shouldn't you give it to me since other people are saying so?'' She said Washington told her her fever wasn't high enough and she didn't meet the criteria for antibiotics. What the data shows Nearly a quarter of Black adults say they have endured negative medical treatment because of their race, according to a new study from the Kaiser Family Foundation. The study found that nearly a quarter of Black adults who became pregnant or gave birth had a negative opinion of their health care providers: “Healthcare providers take an oath to do no harm,'' said Rhonda Smith of the California Black Health Care Network. said. “We need to hold them accountable,” Smith said. Bias and misinformation persist in the health care system. “If you go back to what we're taught in medical school, there's also a misconception that's been around for hundreds of years about black patients, that they can tolerate more pain than white patients, and that's simply not true,” she said. Said. She said patients can better advocate for themselves by doing their homework. She then becomes “more knowledgeable about the situation.” She added, “If you're not happy with the situation, trust your instincts and ask for what you want, because it's your life and your child's life at stake.” KCRA 3 chose not to name the health system Viva and Monica because she believes these issues are not specific to one hospital or her one doctor, but in several different locations. They said they had experienced it.
New research sheds light on racism in healthcare.
In a survey of more than 6,000 patients, more than half of black adults said they felt they needed to pay close attention to their appearance in order to receive fair treatment from their doctors.
The study comes two years after KCRA investigators first revealed how Black doctors face discrimination in the health care system.
Patients say bedside bias has a real impact on their health.
| Previous article | Lawsuit claims Sutter Health targets minority doctors to 'maintain order'
Viva'story
Biba Asmerash's mother passed away after a 10-year battle with spinal cord disease.
What Biba witnessed at the hospital continues to take its toll.
“I can't count the number of times we've been victims of microaggressions,” she says. “Not just from the doctors, but also from the nurse support staff.”
She feels that the treatment she received was because of the color of her skin.
“At one point, a nurse told me that I was being very aggressive in defending my mother,” Biba said. “She can assure you that if I were a 60-year-old white man, she would not have said I was aggressively advocating for her mother's cause.”
Before giving birth, Biba had an honest discussion with her gynecologist and took matters into her own hands.
“Listen, as a Black woman, I often feel like I'm not being listened to by my doctor. She wanted me to say more, but she was really patient and really listened. It tipped me,” she said.
This conversation led to a trusting medical experience for her and her daughter.
Monica'S story
Monica Washington has three children. Since 2020, I have also experienced three consecutive miscarriages.
“I realized that yes, I should have been treated very differently,” Monica Washington said.
As she advocated for herself, she wondered, “Should I undergo more than standard tests and standard procedures?”
“This woman said no,” Washington said.
At the time, she wondered if her pregnancy should have been considered “high risk” and begged her doctor for an additional ultrasound.
“She finally gave it to me because I kept asking for it, but before, she was trying to convince me that I just didn't need it,” Washington said. .
She developed an infection after her third miscarriage and was rushed to the emergency room.
“What I'm saying is, should I take antibiotics? Everyone else is saying so, so shouldn't they give it to me?” she asked the medical staff.
Washington said she was told her fever was not high enough to meet the criteria for antibiotics.
What the data shows
Nearly a quarter of black adults say they have endured negative medical treatment because of their race, according to a new study from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
According to the study, nearly a quarter of black adults who became pregnant or gave birth said they were denied pain medication they thought they needed.
Health Advocate Opinions
“Healthcare providers take an oath to do no harm,” said Rhonda Smith of the California Black Healthcare Network. “We need to hold them accountable,” she said.
Smith said there is still bias and misinformation in the health care system.
“Going back to what is taught in medical school, there's been a misconception for hundreds of years that black patients endure more pain than white patients, and that's simply not true,” she says.
She said patients can better advocate for themselves by doing their homework. and learn “more about the situation.”
She added, “If you're not happy with the situation, trust your instincts and ask what you want, because it's your life and your child's life at stake.” .
KCRA 3 chose not to reveal the name of the health system that Viva and Monica were part of because this is not specific to one hospital or one doctor.
They said they experienced these problems in several different locations.
