Tamika Smith, a 40-year-old woman, has a deep mistrust of the medical system due to her personal experiences, which has led her to refuse to become an organ donor, a decision that is influenced by the long history of medical racism and mistreatment of Black bodies in the U.S.
Author Archives: Anissa Durham
Posted inNational
Is the Patient Black? Check this Box for Yes
Black patients have been disadvantaged by race-based clinical algorithms, such as the eGFR, which have delayed their access to organ transplants, resulting in many deaths while waiting for a transplant.
Posted inHealth
Trump Administration’s Medicaid Changes Put Disabled Patients at Risk
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act has significantly defunded and reshaped Medicaid assistance programs, putting the lives of millions of Americans, including Black patients, at risk and forcing individuals like Faithful V to use ChatGPT to navigate the appeals process.
Posted inHealth
“We Can’t Wait”: Lessons from the New Abortion Landscape
Despite the challenges faced by Black women in accessing abortion care due to state bans and restrictions, Dr. Raegan McDonald-Mosely emphasizes the power of Black women to seek and advocate for reproductive justice, and highlights the importance of access to information and support to normalize conversations about abortion.
Posted inWord In Black
The State of Black America’s Drug Overdose Epidemic
The mortality rate for drug overdoses in the US reached an all-time high in 2022, with Black Americans having the second-highest mortality rate, highlighting the need for increased access to culturally relevant care and prevention investments in Black neighborhoods.
Posted inHealth
Why Sex Education Starts at Home
Black families are urged to start conversations about sex education at home to help reduce the high rates of STIs and HIV among Black youth, while also addressing the issue of adultification bias and anti-Blackness.
Posted inMental Health
Finally, a Program to Support Black Student Mental Health
The Excellence in Mental Health on Campus program, spearheaded by The Steve Fund, is working to provide mental health support for Black and Brown college students by offering campus-level resources and training for faculty and staff to be more trauma-informed.
Posted inHomepage
7 Tips to Get the Care You Need at the Doctor
Black Americans can advocate for themselves by preparing questions, taking notes, bringing a loved one, asking to record the conversation, making sure everything is documented, and thinking about who comes after them.
Posted inHealth
Crisis to Care: 5 Charts on Black Maternal Health Progress
Black women in the US are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women, but improvements in maternal health care, such as the expansion of certified midwives, doulas, and prenatal care, are being made to improve the quality of care Black birthing people receive.
Posted inHealth
The Truth About Black America’s HIV Crisis
Black Americans make up 37% of new HIV diagnoses, with Black youth and Black women being disproportionately affected, and only 22% of PrEP users are in the South, where HIV rates are highest.
