The Journal of Pain and Symptom Management has recently published a study that points to significant discriminatory healthcare experiences among patients with severe illnesses, particularly within racially minoritized communities. The paper, entitled “Discriminatory healthcare experiences and medical mistrust in patients with serious illness,” provides a sobering look at the race-based disparities that continue to affect the healthcare system, with a significant impact on patients requiring palliative care.
Racism, Discrimination, and Mistrust in Healthcare: The Study Breakdown
The investigation, led by Crystal E. Brown, Ph.D. from the Cambia Palliative Care Center of Excellence at UW Medicine, and her colleagues, utilized data from 174 participants. These individuals reported their experiences with racism and microaggressions in medical settings through specific scales designed to measure such encounters: the Discrimination in Medical Setting (DMS) and Microaggressions in Health Care Settings (MHCS). Additionally, group-based medical mistrust was assessed using the Group Based Medical Mistrust (GBMM) scale.
Patients’ characteristics were thoroughly considered, including their race, income, wealth, insurance status, and educational attainment, to facilitate a comprehensive analysis of the factors contributing to their experiences in healthcare.
The study’s unsettling findings underscore the prevalence of discrimination against racially minoritized patients, with Black, Native American/Alaskan Native (NA/AN), and multiracial individuals more likely to report both discrimination and microaggressions compared to their White counterparts. After adjusting for income and education levels, Black and NA/AN patients reported greater experiences of mistrust towards the medical system.
Analyzing the Data: Insights into Disparities and Mistrust
Univariable and multivariable linear regression models, as well as risk ratios, were meticulously employed to assess the association between patient characteristics, including self-reported race, and scores on the DMS, MHCS, and GBMM scales.
One surprising deviation from the expected correlation was that when considering aspects of class alone, DMS scores did not show an association with race. This suggests that while race plays a significant role in discriminatory experiences and mistrust, socioeconomic factors independently contribute to patients’ perceptions of discrimination in healthcare settings.
Elevated MHCS scores for racially minoritized patients persisted even after adjusting for similar income and education levels. Additionally, it was found that higher income levels were linked with lower GBMM scores among participants who reported similar discrimination or microaggressions.
Addressing Systemic Issues: The Need for a Race-Conscious Approach
The research presents a cross-sectional snapshot of the gap between patient experiences and equitable healthcare, emphasizing the deep-rooted issues of systemic discrimination that have long plagued marginalized communities.
“Our study’s findings are a call to action for the medical community to adopt race-conscious and intersectional approaches to truly address and acknowledge the persistent and corrosive effects of racism, especially for patients battling serious illnesses,” said Dr. Brown.
The study points out that while broad systemic and structural changes are vital, addressing individual experiences of racism requires an acknowledgment of the specificity of these encounters. Only by doing so can healthcare providers create a more trusting and inclusive environment for all patients, irrespective of their race or socioeconomic standing.
Dr. Brown and her colleagues highlight the urgency to overcome these challenges, suggesting that without proper intervention, medical mistrust and discrimination will continue to threaten the quality of healthcare provided to racially minoritized patients, ultimately impacting their health outcomes.
Conclusion: A Clarion Call for Inclusivity in Medical Care
As the healthcare environment evolves, this study sends a clear message that more attention must be directed towards the experiences of patients with serious illness, especially those from marginalized racial and socioeconomic groups. The findings reinforce the critical need to implement strategies that foster trust and equitable care for all patients.
The publication of “Discriminatory healthcare experiences and medical mistrust in patients with serious illness” underlines the importance of maintaining transparency and accountability in confronting the issue of discrimination within healthcare settings. By addressing the profound disparities and injustices revealed through such research, healthcare systems can move towards a more inclusive and compassionate model of care.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2024.01.010
References
Brown, C. E., Jackson, S. Y., Marshall, A. R., Pytel, C. C., Cueva, K. L., Doll, K. M., & Young, B. A. (2024). Discriminatory healthcare experiences and medical mistrust in patients with serious illness. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, S0885-3924(24)00012-5.
Keywords
1. Healthcare discrimination
2. Medical mistrust
3. Race-conscious approaches
4. Racially minoritized patients
5. Serious illness care