In society we are rarely granted the opportunity to see the Black woman, as whole or healthy. The media has led us to believe Black women rarely come together to heal themselves and the others around them.
We are surviving in a current world that is traumatic for Black women. We see this trauma Black women are forced to endure through statistics. The rate of Black women between ages 30 to 34 that die from childbirth complications widens to over four times higher than the rate for White women. Racial disparities persist across education levels. Among women with a college education or higher, Black women have an over five times higher pregnancy-related mortality rate compared to White women with less than a high-school diploma. Black women are twice as likely to suffer from severe maternal morbidity, which simply means near death experience. The reasoning behind this health crisis, racism.
The Centers for Disease Control defines racism as a system, consisting of structures, policies, practices, and norms—that assigns value and determines opportunity based on the way people look or the color of their skin. This results in conditions that unfairly advantage some and disadvantage others throughout society. Racism both structural and interpersonal, are fundamental causes of health inequities, health disparities and disease. It negatively affects the mental and physical health of millions of people, preventing them from attaining their highest level of health, and consequently, affecting the health of our community and nation.
Past and present experiences with racial discrimination shape Black women’s interaction with medical providers. Inside the health care system exists a culture of contemporary discrimination, including barriers to timely and affordable health care, lower quality maternal health care services, disrespectful treatment, and untimely, negative medical outcomes.
Bias is another buzz word we tend to hear in the discussion of Black maternal and infant mortality. Bias is based on characteristics that include, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and educational background. The biggest effect of bias is prejudgment resulting in discriminatory practices. Verna Myers is quoted as saying, “Biases are the stories we make up about people before we actually know who they are.”
The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health says implicit bias affects patient-clinician interactions, treatment decisions, treatment adherence, and patient outcomes. They also tell us, implicit bias in the healthcare setting and structural racism in social, economic, and political systems are intertwined, meaning that both must be addressed to be successful in improving women’s healthcare and reducing health disparities.
The conversation is always centered around asking how do WE combat these statistics. We are often asked, how do WE as Black women, CHANGE THE WORLD? I often redirect the conversation to the majority white community and ask them, how do YOU change the world YOU have created. If it was left up to my community, racism would not exist. But as we are continually reminded, racism is about power. The majority fights to keep their power, at the cost of life for Black women and babies.
How can healthcare systems start addressing this crisis? Implement antiracism training. What is antiracism? It is a conscious decision to make frequent, consistent, and equitable choices daily. It requires ongoing self-awareness and self-reflection. In the absence of making antiracist choices, we unconsciously uphold aspects of white supremacy, white-dominant culture and unequal institutions and society. This has nothing to do with who you are; but everything to do with WHAT YOU DO.
The solution continues to be Black medical providers caring for Black patients. Studies have shown that Black patients have better health outcomes and routinely agree to more—and more invasive— health tests and interventions when they’re seen by Black providers. Black patients are more likely to choose a provider of their own race/ethnicity, increasing the likelihood of seeking needed health care. This in turn creates an environment that promotes health and addresses health care needs. (references available upon request)
Dána M. Langford, CNM is the Co-founder, CEO and Medical Director of Village of Healing and The Village of Healing Center, Cuyahoga County’s first and only medical center with all Black providers focused on Black women’s health and mental healthcare.
