The Roots and Clinical Effects of Racial Bias in Medicine

Abstract

In a growing society, healthcare has become an essential part of a country’s development, standard of living, and life expectancy. The past decade has seen unprecedented growth in both scientific and medical discoveries, leading to improved treatment plans and innovative treatments, yet there are some aspects of healthcare that remain stunted. Discrimination, particularly on the basis of race, is still prevalent and ingrained in the American healthcare system, leading to worsened patient outcomes for people of color and a discomfort with seeking medical care that disproportionately affects those in marginalized groups. This bias continues even into the education of healthcare providers, which perpetuates the cycle of prejudice in the medical field. While the intersection of racism in the medical field varies greatly and maintains its prevalence amongst different races, this dissertation focuses mainly on discrimination of Black patients in the American healthcare system. For further information on the effects of racial bias both abroad and amongst a wider variety of races, valuable resources can be found below the works cited in this review. The sources analyzed in this review are analytical and scientific, with little to no use of primary anecdotal evidence. While such an emotional topic as racism and how it affects patient care relies heavily on personal experience, these sources have confounded the feelings of many patients nationally and adapted them into a well-reviewed analysis of how those feelings reflect nationwide opinions. Furthermore, it includes historical papers detailing the foundations of the medical field and how it was developed in hand with racism. The following sections will include definitions of terminology surrounding the issue, information on the history that led to modern-day biases, the ways in which these biases are seen by patients, and how it affects their care. This will demonstrate the link between past practices and the discriminatory actions in the medical system currently. Furthermore, it will establish evidence that there are effects felt by patients of color as well as offer information on possible solutions to help better their treatment.