Health care workforce challenges must be addressed to support Black mothers

This commentary is from Adtalem Global Education. Blake Simpson is Adtalem’s senior vice president, chief communications and corporate affairs officer. Karen Cox, PhD, RN, FACHE, FAAN, is president of Chamberlain University. The health care industry has always been at the forefront of change and adaptation. And yet, with nationwide maternity ward closures and staffing shortages on the rise, Black mothers—particularly in rural or low-income areas—have to travel too far to receive the care they need. To make an already difficult situation worse, a recent bill proposing defunding diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in medical schools could inadvertently put Americans’ health and well-being at risk, if passed.  Diversity, equity, and inclusion goes beyond what we see on the surface, and in medicine, assessing a patient’s health—not only by reviewing their chart, but also by understanding their culture, background, and life experiences—may save a life. Diversity isn’t a luxury; it’s a public health imperative. Today, nearly 6% of U.S. physicians identify as Black or African American, and 6.7% of registered nurses identify as the same. These are statistics that do not reflect the communities they service despite the desperate need for equitable health care—and the Black maternal health crisis is a prime...