Women’s health has tremendously been undermined and overlooked in the healthcare system. In the doctor’s office, women are often not heard or seen. Even worse, Black women are rarely acknowledged.
Fortunately, a few doctors have decided to change that narrative. Gynecologist Soyini Hawkins, who works at the Fibroid and Pelvic Wellness Center in the state of Georgia, firmly believes in women’s health. In particular, the surgeon has become a strong advocate for women who suffer from endometriosis.
According to research, “Black women are only about half as likely to be diagnosed with endometriosis compared to white women. Conversely, Asian women were more than 50% more likely to have this diagnosis than white women.”
Unfortunately, the vast majority of women who suffer from this disease are ignored by doctors, especially male physicians. Many healthcare providers have the misconception that endometriosis is just a part of “womanhood” or that a woman’s pain is often fabricated.
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Fortunately, doctors like Hawkins believe that women, especially Black women, deserve to be heard and treated as human beings. Taking things a step further, Hawkins believes that treating endometriosis isn’t a “one-and-done” deal, it’s a life-long process. In other words, the surgeon wants to provide her patients with long-term health options and help them reach their goals.
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Dr. Soyini Hawkins Pushes Pass Barriers
During an interview with The American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC), Hawkins shared her plans to improve the overall quality of life for patients suffering from endometriosis.
The surgeon believes the first step in doing so is eradicating barriers upheld by the healthcare system. Hawkins says that there are several factors that inhibit patients from receiving the care and attention they need.
One of the biggest contributors is a severe lack of access to specialists. Hawkins argues that oftentimes the patients need specialized care to get to the root cause of their endometriosis.
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Other factors include expensive treatments, the patient’s lack of education about the chronic disease, misconceptions and being ignored by
