this post was submitted on 27 Dec 2023
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https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/use-of-race-in-clinical-diagnosis-and-decision-making-overview-and-implications/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0196064423002676
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/interactive/2022/women-pain-gender-bias-doctors/
Individuals who are intersectional in groups that are under prioritized for health care have it the absolute worst.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13557858.2021.1899138
Interestingly I saw one study while pulling this up from 2009 that came to the conclusion that there isn't a major disparity in pain treatment between races and genders, but I think we've learned a great deal about the social determinants of health since then, and these more recent studies and articles show the opposite.
It's less to do with a pact, and more to do with ignorance. Most clinical signs are taught in north America on caucasian skin (though there's a really neat clinical guide put out I think by St George's university in the UK that I highly recommend to all health care providers- it's called mind the gap and it's free afaik). Additionally, cultural and language differences change how people raised in different cultures express pain. Finally, women's health is probably 50 years behind where it should be because any pain to do with female reproductive organs (and by extension abdominal pain) is often written off even when it's debilitating.
Add in those natural unconscious biases we carry as humans and no universal pact needed, discrimination happens anyway even with people who don't realize they are doing it.
For anyone doubting these experiences, I am a US medical student, and implicit biases and racism are big topics we are taught and made aware of due to physicians profiling their patient whether intentionally or not.
This is especially common in the ER where many people without PCPs come in for issues that are generally handled by a PCP. One of the more difficult things that physicians struggle with is balancing time with the quality of care they provide to their patients. Profiling makes the "time" component easy, but obviously that results in very poor quality healthcare.
No one should be doubting people's experiences of racism and discrimination in the ER and beyond. Doctors are people too, and the bigoted behavior you see in other professions are just as likely to appear with your doctor.
It's nice to see that someone is going to be one of the good doctors.
I appreciate that, and I want to offer hopefully a more positive outlook. These topics are becoming standard courses in the US medical school curriculum, as in they have to be taught to medical students.
It won't solve every problem, of course, but the curriculum is way more patient-oriented than it used to be instead of being a simple "solve disease" kind of curriculum, which is what most of the doctors you see today are taught with.
I rarely comment on lemmy, but I had to say something against the few people who were saying these experiences aren't valid.
Discrimination is real, and don't assume Doctors are perfect because they're not. Of course be open-minded and don't be antagonistic to the ones who are legitimately trying to help you, but if you feel your care wasn't great, then that's very likely a failure on the physician's part.
That is really good news that it's becoming standard. I sincerely hope the grueling hours don't take its toll on you and that they're working on that as well. Burnt out doctors shouldn't be a thing.