It is common for healthcare facilities to put an emphasis on a patient’s characteristics over social determinants of their well-being. In the United States, this bias stems from a long-lasting period of segregation and dehumanization of people based on their race and gender (Todic´ et al., 2022). One’s race, class, and gender can lead to inequalities in treatment when a person seeks healthcare. This paper will analyze how these factors affect the quality of care of a person in the United States.
Equity is a common goal, yet it is challenging to achieve in the current system. As the healthcare industry in the country was based on colonialist practices, it inherited many of their negative qualities (Todic´ et al., 2022). These archaic social constructs keep people below certain social status from acquiring proper attention to their issues. Moreover, minorities frequently experience discrimination by being underrepresented in studies and policies (Todic´ et al., 2022). Stereotypes stemming from one’s perceptions of the inherent qualities of another person based on their ethnicity, gender, and class can cause disparities in healthcare. There are deeply rooted beliefs, such as the existence of biological differences between races that require different treatment, that lead to improper options being provided to disadvantaged populations (Todic´ et al., 2022). This detrimental mode of thinking causes a disproportionate amount of deaths among U.S. citizens.
In conclusion, there are disparities in healthcare provision that people meet due to structural bias. The history of the United States is marked by the lack of acceptance and white supremacy. This legacy continues to shape people’s experience in healthcare facilities, leading to deeply rooted inequalities persist despite professionals’ efforts to eradicate them. An individual’s access to necessary services may be limited or marked with mistreatment.
Reference
Todic´, J., Cook, S. C., Spitzer-Shohat, S., Williams, J. S., Battle, B. A., Jackson, J., & Chin, M. H. (2022). Critical theory, culture change, and achieving health equity in health care settings. Academic Medicine, 97(7), 977-988.