Essay On Racism In Health Care

Some people are afraid of going to the doctors, but this study goes way deeper than being afraid of getting blood drawn or receiving your annual flu shot.  The notorious untreated syphilis trial. A research on the sexually transmitted disease called syphilis, was performed in 1932 by the Tuskegee Alabama Public Health Service. The research began with the intention of justifying black rehabilitation services.  Although the study began with good intentions, it was overflowing with many secrets and the dark truth many people still to this day don’t know about.  As a result of the Tuskegee experiment, black people still don't receive proper medical attention, and a large number of black people don't trust medical professionals. The study was unacceptable and there are still lingering effects of the experiment today.

During this time America was still heavily segregated.  There was no equal opportunities, many black people did not have access to healthcare and enough money for the basic essentials.  The study was initially only supposed to last six months but continued on for almost forty years.  There were 600 black males who participated in this study, most of whom were poor and uneducated.  399  participants had the disease and 201 didn’t.  The Public Health Service had told the men that they had “bad blood” and were guaranteed free medical check ups, one free hot meal a day, and if anything happened to them during the experiment, their burial costs would be financed.  Because of the circumstances of the time, the study sparked interest in many.  These men were signing away their humanity, to become guinea pigs for science experiments.  These innocent men were clueless about dangers of this trial.

One major outcome from the Tuskegee study is that many black people don’t trust healthcare professionals.  Effects of the study have caused irreversible damage on the individuals who took part of the trial, and society its self.  Not only were the people in the study affected but also their families and friends.  This traumatized an entire community for medical malpractice because they (The public health service) had a cure/treatments for the disease, but continued to let the disease spread within the community for almost 40 years effecting the health of many that were unaware of syphilis.

Effects of the study have caused unalterable harm.  Not only were the people in the study affected but also their families and friends.  “I was shameful and I am sorry we have no idea how many wives girlfriends children inherited the disease and also died or were forever crippled by its effect for 40 years the US government operated.”  Quoted by The unknowns about the Tuskegee syphilis study.  Even Someone who performed the study came to the realization that the study was extremely dangerous and how a science experiment was not worth ruining the lives of many black families.  It was incredibly inhumane and the impact speaks for itself.  Because the Public Health Service let these infected men spread syphilis, their partners and children either contracted or inherited the disease.  

They continued the study after the cure put out to the public, and they didn’t give penicillin (the cure) to the participants that were infected.  There was no intent to inform the participants with alternatives to the medication that was given to them.  The men were just left with an easily treatable disease while doctors were with them for several hours a day.  A medical professional's job is to help people, but the ones that participated in the study made the victims suffer by not providing information about the treatment for syphilis.  Instead they let the study go on and let them spread the disease without even knowing.  Knowing that doctors take an oath to save lives and never to harm anyone is deceiving, because of this experiment where they saw sick people who needed help every day, and didn't treat them.

Another major outcome from the Tuskegee study is many black people have a poor experience going to their health care provider or receiving medical in general. The Century foundation quotes “African Americans are also living longer, and the majority of them have some form of health insurance coverage. Yet, African Americans still experience illness and infirmity at extremely high rates and have lower life expectancy than other racial and ethnic groups. They are also one of the most economically disadvantaged demographics in this country.”  Despite all the advances African Americans have made to close the gap between other ethnic groups and blacks, healthcare is still an issue.  African Americans tend to get sick easier and more often, and they have a lower life expectancy rate than any other ethnic group.

Racism plays an immense role in healthcare.  Because of the pay gap between blacks and other ethnic groups, it is harder for black people to obtain health insurance.  Quoted by The Century Foundation, “however, in order for African Americans to attain meaningful insurance coverage and access to quality health care, the health care system must be transformed to better address the unique social factors that cause African Americans to remain in the coverage gap and how racism plays a role in their health outcomes.”  It is difficult for African Americans to obtain health insurance because it is so expensive and because of the pay gap between African Americans and the other ethnic groups.  This has a huge impact on their health.  If you cannot afford good health insurance, you cannot get high quality healthcare that everyone should be able to access.