Health Disparities in Medicine Based on Race | Richard Garcia | TEDxSageHillSchool

[amihaifreed]

It's so nice to see music being used to explain disparities in healthcare. Music is such an underutilized tool for understanding the world.

[JohnDo-rx]

Health disparities based on race have existed in medicine for a long time. These disparities are caused by a complex interplay of social, economic, and environmental factors that lead to the difference in the quality of care that we see. Dr. Richard Garcia does an outstanding job of outlining the issue of health disparities in medicine based on race. I agree with Dr. Garcia that “race is not a medical problem; it is an American problem”. No one is brought into this world with racial or ethnic biases. We are all different. We are born the way we are and that shouldn’t be a reason that one should receive inadequate care. Research has shown that individuals from certain racial and ethnic groups, such as minorities, experience higher rates of chronic health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. They also experience lower life expectancy and higher rates of maternal and infant mortality compared to other groups. I believe the root cause of these health disparities are multifactorial and include systemic racism, discrimination, and bias in healthcare. For example, racial and ethnic minorities often face numerous barriers including lack of health insurance. Additionally, healthcare providers may hold unconscious biases that affect the care they provide to patients based on their biases. A good example of racism in medicine is the Tuskegee syphilis research experiment that began in 1932 and lasted 40 years. To date, it is one, if not the most infamous cases of medical racism and abuse in U.S. history. To address health disparities in medicine based on race, it is important to acknowledge and address the underlying social and economic factors that contribute to these inequities. This includes improving access to quality healthcare, promoting health equity, and addressing the social determinants of health such as poverty, education, and housing. It is also important to address implicit bias in healthcare and work towards increasing diversity and representation in the healthcare workforce.

[danc]

This guy barely spoke about racial disparity in the health care. He went off on a jazz tangent, and never connected it with medicine. I swear he just got up there to talk about jazz.

[JakobDoctor]

The issue of health disparities by race has been prominent in medicine for decades. Dr. Garcia does an excellent job outlining the issue and the potential consequences of racial inequities. Advancements in medical technology and increased healthcare availability should be making us healthier as a society, however racial minorities continue to experience poorer health outcomes and higher rates of chronic disease compared to Caucasians. Many systemic issues have been identified as potential causes, such as socioeconomic status, education, access to care, and systemic racism.
One of the biggest problems with racial inequities in medicine is the significant impact it has on health outcomes for racial minorities. Studies have consistently shown that health outcomes for racial minorities are consistently poorer than their white counterparts. Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, the list goes on of chronic conditions that are largely preventable and are far more prevalent among racial minorities. The disparities also extend into mental health care, where racial minorities are far less likely to be taken seriously when presenting with a mental health crisis than whites.
Access has historically been much lower among racial minorities, as the financial burden presents an often-unsurmountable obstacle to seeking regular preventive care. As a result, many individuals delay seeking treatment for chronic conditions and even some minor emergencies purely out of concern for the costs of such care. As a result, racial minorities are more likely to present in the late stages of disease, which places a significant burden on the medical system at large and one that could be largely prevented with increased access to regular preventive care.
To address these issues, a comprehensive approach at addressing all the issues racial minorities face when navigating the health care system. We must expand access and offer financial assistance, so individuals are able to care for chronic conditions before they become life-threatening emergencies, and we must address the social determinants of health that play a large part in the dichotomy of health in the United States.

[tyshields]

Garcia pointed out that “race is not an medical problem but an American one.” What he means by that is health disparities continue to be a problem based racially as there are many people of color who suffer disproportionately in comparison to the rest of the population. Garcia explaied that the these disparities are caused by many factors including racism, bias, education levels, cultural differences, and socio-economic status. I argue that it is important to incorporate social cultural appropriateness education when physicians are giving treatment to diverse populations. It saddens me that one of the biggest reasons why there is such a disparity in health among minority groups is the unequal access to health care. It is important that pshycians are involved in minority community outreach programs so that everyone can receive health care no matter if the are educated, uninsured, or underinsured, or living in a busy crowded area or a rural underserved area. I have a passion for helping those people in rural communities which is why I chose my specific medical school given that they provide so many opportunities to serve in these types of locations. I hope to continue this practice of looking out for the “one” meaning the people who are often overlooked and misunderstood. Many reasons why people of color can be overlooked or misunderstood is cultural differences which is another reason for the medical racial disparity because of the distrust in Western medicine. Because of this and other factors such as cultural differences and language barriers, there are often times when people of this minority group don’t feel heard and often get misdiagnosed and could possibly not return for a follow up with their doctor. I think all doctors should engage in cultural competence trainings so that the can improve their communications with these vulnerable populations.

[esmeraldalopez]

I got lost, didn’t really get his point on health care disparities

[TheTonyspik]

can someone tell me his point? He kinda lost me with the jazz, and he's a quite boring speaker. But I would still like to know his main points...

[kanutapretzelini]

What is the "ebonics plague"?

[collinmetheny]

The rustic rate effectively taste because specialist symptomatically film beyond a jolly plier. ahead, boorish peripheral