Structural racism, health disparities, and opportunities for PA practice

Abstract

Social determinants of health are rooted in structural racism. The healthcare community has long recognized the existence of signifi cant race-and ethnicity-related health disparities. Yet pervasive disparities persist despite ongoing calls for institutions and healthcare professionals to promote health equity by addressing bias, discrimination, and social determinants of health. All PAs must take responsibility for the various ways in which we may unwittingly reinforce racism in our profession, and must shift our focus from treating the effects of racism to preventing them.

To be Black in medicine

“…The invisibility that PA Shaw spoke about is exponentially magnified when you are the only Black student in a class cohort. The ability to articulate the ills of structural racism and its effects on “social determinants of health, playing a critical role in perpetuating health inequities,” provides a small measure of therapeutic relief toward the disruption of its pervasiveness, by saying it aloud in written form 2…”

“…As a PA educator, I cannot overlook the fact that the author recognized and wrote about this racial invisibility as a student. Furthermore, I want to acknowledge the challenge that it presents to institutions to change the “bias, discrimination and a whitewashed medical educational curriculum” that contributes to the perpetuation of healthcare disparities of marginalized communities through this historical model of training 2. I am encouraged to continue to work toward educational and health equity and I look forward to the day when they see us.…”