Essay: Let’s Take an Honest Look at Distrust, Disparities and Discrimination in Medical Care

By Dr. Imani McElroy | Special to California Black Media(CBM) – As I became part of the small community of Black female surgeons, who represent less than 1% of all physicians, I embraced the responsibility with an understanding that part of my career would be dedicated to being a voice for marginalized and disenfranchised people.Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, I observed the vast economic divide that that contributes to health care disparities. Unstable employment and housing, food deserts, underfunded schools, and escalating living expenses all play a significant role in poor health for Black patients.They also are a direct reflection of centuries of systemic discrimination and racism that has crippled Black Americans dating back to the era of slavery.The same issues have followed me personally. I live with asthma, which has quietly impacted my breathing since childhood. I have been fortunate to avoid long-term hospitalization, but I have had numerous visits to urgent care and emergency departments. I discussed my symptoms with my primary care physicians over the years, but it wasn’t until my third year living in Boston that I found a physician who attended to my symptoms and made the necessary adjustments that finally controlled...