How racism affects health care for black patients in California

A third of black Californians say they have been treated unfairly in the health care system because of their race. A report From the California Health Care Foundation.

The big picture: The study — which also found that more than 1 in 4 black Californians avoid medical care because of concerns about unfair or disrespectful treatment — shows the impact of racial disparities in the nation’s most populous state.

• The findings came from a survey of more than 3,300 black California adults and interviews with 100 blacks across the state by the California Health Care Foundation and EVITARUS, a black-owned research organization.

What you get:

• Those who reported disparate treatment based on race increased if they were LGBTQ, female, or had a mental health problem or disability.
• The vast majority said they had made an effort to get preventive medicine by monitoring their blood pressure and cholesterol and had seen a doctor in the past year.
• Meanwhile, more than 80% of respondents who reported receiving poor treatment because of their race said they would prepare for future health visits to reduce negative experiences with researchers.
• More than 60% tell the service provider that they have learned or adjusted how they speak “to make the provider feel more comfortable.”

Tracy Edwards, A 55-year-old man The research team told Axios that doctors assumed he was in severe pain and withheld medication in the ER.

• “The doctor was like, ‘Hey, you’re black, you can take it. You’re strong,'” Edwards recalled. “I’m here in the emergency room because I’m sick. Don’t mind me, you don’t know me.”
• Another service provider refused to believe that he did not do or drink illegal drugs.
• “Everybody you deal with…there needs to be some training that they take to not make those assumptions,” Edwards said. “Use medical knowledge only on the patient. Use nothing else.”

Note: Respondents indicated how barriers to good health outcomes are addressed in health systems.

• Some pointed to poor air quality, unsafe drinking water and high crime rates as barriers to outdoor exercise.
• Others said they don’t have resorts or grocery stores that sell fresh food.

The main point is: “It is imperative that stakeholders and decision makers listen and invest in the calls and priorities” to improve the quality of health care for black patients., EVITARUS Principal Investigator Shakari Byerly said.