Group-based medical mistrust and care expectations among black patients seeking addiction treatment

Race, Overdose Deaths, and Years of Lost Life—Reply

“…Previously, we found rates of unintentional opioid overdose mortality increasing faster among Black residents of Ohio compared with their White counterparts . We also found that experiences of racist mistreatment by health care workers are common among Black patients seeking addiction treatment and that a history of such experiences is related to medical mistrust, delay in seeking treatment for addiction, anticipation of racial discrimination during addiction treatment, and fear of discrimination-precipitated relapse . Further, it has been observed that the US addiction treatment workforce is predominantly White, and an increase in addiction treatment professionals of other races and ethnicities is needed .…”

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“…2 We also found that experiences of racist mistreatment by health care workers are common among Black patients seeking addiction treatment and that a history of such experiences is related to medical mistrust, delay in seeking treatment for addiction, anticipation of racial discrimination during addiction treatment, and fear of discrimination-precipitated relapse. 3,4 Further, it has been observed that the US addiction treatment workforce is predominantly White, and an increase in addic-tion treatment professionals of other races and ethnicities is needed. 5 Taken together with Harris's observations, we see that while rates of unintentional overdose are increasing among Black youths, systemic and interpersonal racism may limit their access to lifesaving treatment.…”