Study: Black Patients Live Longer When Connected to Black Doctors

News, these counties also had lower disparities in mortality rates between Black and white residents. This longer life expectancy existed even in counties with a single Black physician. Previous research has shown that when Black patients are treated by Black physicians, they are more satisfied with their health care, more likely to have received preventive care in the past year, and more likely to adhere to preventative services, such as blood tests and flu shots, STAT News reported.  Lisa Cooper, a primary care physician who directs the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity, told STAT News that the study is “groundbreaking” and “particularly timely given the declining life expectancy and increasing health disparities in the U.S. in recent years.” She added: “These findings should serve as a wake-up call for health care leaders and policymakers.” The study did not directly address why Black Americans face higher rates of chronic illnesses, including heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure, compared to their white counterparts. These health disparities include access to quality health care and health outcomes. However, one proven way to address these inequities is by connecting Black Americans with doctors who look like them.  According to a study published in...