Understanding and addressing racial disparities in health care.
Racial disparities in medical care should be understood within the context of racial inequities in societal institutions. Systematic discrimination is not the aberrant behavior of a few but is often supported by institutional policies and unconscious bias based on negative stereotypes. Effectively addressing disparities in the quality of care requires improved data systems, increased regulatory vigilance, and new initiatives to appropriately train medical professionals and recruit more providers from disadvantaged minority backgrounds. Identifying and implementing effective strategies to eliminate racial inequities in health status and medical care should be made a national priority.
Williams
D R
DR
University of Michigan, USA. wildavid@umich.edu
Rucker
T D
TD
D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D005006:Ethnicity; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000592:standards; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D010934:Planning Techniques; D011287:Prejudice; D011822:Race Relations; D012935:Social Justice; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States