purposeful injection of hundreds of black men with syphilis and denial of treatment in order to study how the disease affected the human body. With these daunting events in mind, it’s easy to see how the mistrust of the healthcare system was inherited.
Though today’s world is much better, racial prejudice still plays a role in the treatment of blacks in contemporary medicine and public health. Black men are sometimes treated with different medication compared to whites with the same condition. Older medications with worse side effects are prescribed to black men over newer medications with fewer side effects.
Stereotypes of black men lead to longer wait times and doctors’ mistrust of their described symptoms as well. It’s been noted that physicians spend less time with black men as well. Again, the relationship between doctor and patient lacks the empathy and ingenuous nature needed for a patient to feel a particular treatment and prescription is the true solution to a health issue.
On another note, it can’t go without saying that the socioeconomic issues that continue to cripple black communities play a major factor as well. Everything from poor school systems and minimal job opportunities to food deserts and lack of resources accentuate the mistrust as well. The absence of dietary and lifestyle education coupled with a culture of unhealthy eating accentuates the very ailments black men are resistant to addressing with physicians. Adding the reality of jobs without sufficient medical benefits only forces black families to choose between going untreated and expensive medical bills.
The resolution to this generational problem is quite robust, to say the least. It’s not only a change of mindset, but also a change of culture that persists in America. We are more than aware of the systematic oppression and exploitation of black people and a collective effort is needed to alleviate the sickness of mind, body, and spirit on all sides.
Abdris Elba, B.S. in Advertising – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Ph.D. in Trolling is a SQL/BI developer, aspiring voiceover actor and living proof that the chicken indeed comes before the egg.