Racism in Healthcare

Racism and healthcare are both pressing issues in the United States, so one would imagine their confluence is rather complex. From black neighborhoods that were redlined to exclude hospitals to physicians who introduced scientifically false beliefs about African bodies, African-Americans have been intentionally disadvantaged in the healthcare system since 1866. Many issues regarding the African-American community are talked about, yet healthcare has rarely been one of them. With modern society being so progressive, it’s hard to believe that racist healthcare exists, but it does. The average person may not know that racist healthcare exists, but those who have experienced it do. This is precisely why it is imperative that the public gains knowledge about African-American experiences in the healthcare system. This paper will analyze the history of racial malpractice, examine various African American experiences in the modern healthcare system, and explore solutions and improvements to racist healthcare. With a broader and deeper understanding of racism and healthcare, this paper aims to educate and encourage the public to push for change. People think that since our world is much more progressive today, racism is practically solved, but it’s not. By identifying and analyzing the historical and modern-day abuse of African Americans in the healthcare system, I will help the reader understand the background and connections that history has created and therefore encourage them to be a proponent of cultural reform.