The health care industry makes up a large portion of the U.S. economy.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black Americans face particularly large health disparities.
“Data shows that racial and ethnic minority groups across the United States have higher rates of illness and death across a wide range of health conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, asthma, and heart disease, compared to white groups. According to the CDC.
Doctors and organizations across the country and in San Diego are trying to do something about this disparity.
Part of the problem is that patients are identifying their health care providers.
David Pride, MD, chair of the UCSD Department of Health Microbiology, had a valuable experience early in his career.
Why Black Representation in Healthcare Directly Impacts the Health of Black Americans
“I am from the Deep South, and I remember the first patient I ever saw who refused to see me because of the color of my skin. ,” Dr. Pride said.
Many physicians believe that representing and connecting with patients can help in their efforts to achieve better health outcomes.
“One thing that's really clear is that some people feel more comfortable with a doctor who looks like them and who understands them and who they feel understands the problems they go through on a daily basis. ,” Dr. Pride said.
“This personal connection is so important, so as long as you feel like your doctor understands what you're going through every day, you're more likely to work with them on what they tell you to do to improve your health.” much more likely,” Dr. Pride said.
“I have worked hard to encourage other minorities to enter this field and support their career development,” Dr. Pride added.
What does the CDC do?
In a statement on its website, the CDC says it is committed to addressing racism as an obstacle to health equity.
“At CDC, we work to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to live a healthy life. To achieve this goal, CDC, the nation's leading public health agency, is a hub of our work. We have established this web portal 'Racism and Health' to act as . ”
Dr. Pride believes that encouraging people of color to enter the medical field has a positive impact on everyone.
Despite the obstacles, he is optimistic that health outcomes for people of color will improve in the future.
“When you think about how far we have come as a country, as a people, in thinking about diversity and thinking about individual capabilities, we are not where we were just over 20 years ago,” Dr. Pride said.
