Black/African American Health Resources

Providing Healthcare to Black/African American Patients

There are significant concerns about providing healthcare to Black/African Americans due to a persistent history of systemic racism and inequality. These factors have culminated in significant health disparities.

Key concerns include:

• Historical and ongoing discrimination: This has led to limited access to quality healthcare, education, and economic opportunities, which directly impact health outcomes.
• Higher rates of chronic diseases: Black/African Americans experience higher rates of conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension, often leading to poorer health outcomes.
• Mistrust of the healthcare system: Due to historical mistreatment, many Black individuals have a deep-rooted mistrust of healthcare providers and institutions, leading to delayed or avoided care.
• Implicit bias among healthcare providers: Unconscious biases can impact treatment decisions, leading to disparities in care.
• Socioeconomic factors: Poverty, unemployment, and housing insecurity are more prevalent among Black communities, contributing to health disparities.

Addressing these concerns requires a comprehensive approach that includes improving access to care, addressing implicit bias, and investing in community-based programs that promote health equity.

Social determinants of health (SDOH) also play a pivotal role in affecting health, functioning, and quality of life outcomes and risks (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, n.d.). The 5 domains outlined by the US Department of Health and Human Services are:

• Economic stability, which covers topics like food insecurity and poverty.
• Education access and quality, which covers topics like language and literacy and high school graduation rates.
• Health care access and quality, which covers topics like access to primary care and health literacy.
• Neighborhood and built environment, which covers topics like access to foods that support a healthy diet and crime and violence rates.
• Social and community context, which covers topics like incarceration and discrimination.

Currently, there are differing opinions as to whether patient-provider race concordance positively impacts healthcare outcomes (Anderson et al., 2020; Cooper et al., 2003; Harvey et al., 2016; LaVeist & Carroll, 2002; Meghani et al., 2009; Miller et al., 2024; Nazione et al., 2019; Waselewski et al., 2024). At this time, more studies need to be done to monitor the impact. We do know that Black/African American physicians are working hard to help ensure that their communities are included in the social contracts that govern physicians and are working to build trust among their patients (Rockich-Winston et al., 2022).

We’ve broken the most common health inequities into different sections, focusing on dermatology, chronic health issues, infectious disease, parental health, and mental health. The articles, videos, and links on the following pages are great places to start to get an idea of many of the most common health inequities faced by Black/African American patients.