Black Americans see a health-care system infected by racism, new poll shows

Among the findings:Public health experts called the misgivings around a vaccine an outgrowth of the discrimination many African Americans endure, not only as they attempt to access health care, but also as they go about their daily lives.“We have a centurieslong legacy in this country of basically Black people, in particular, and other people of color as well, being treated poorly,” said Dr. Lisa A. It has gone on for so long.”How often do you think our health care system treats people unfairly based on their race or ethnic background?VeryoftenSomewhatoftenNot toooftenNeverNoanswerBlack31%392172Hispanic162736183White122933205Do you think doctors not providing the same level of care to Black people is a reason why they have worse health outcomes on average than white people?Not areasonMajorreasonMinorreasonBlack54%2916Hispanic422727White262742How often do you think our health care system treats people unfairly based on their race or ethnic background?VeryoftenNot toooftenNeverNoanswerSomewhatoftenBlack31%392172Hispanic162736183White122933205Do you think doctors not providing the same level of care to Black people is a reason why they have worse health outcomes on average than white people?Not areasonMajorreasonMinorreasonBlack54%2916Hispanic422727White262742A majority of Black adults, 58 percent, said they had experienced discrimination in just the past year. (There are large gaps between attitudes of Black and white people over bias and discrimination.)“They treat Black people different than they do white people when I go to the hospital,” said Eugene Lawrence, 73, a retired waiter who lives in Hartford, Connecticut. It’s been that way from the beginning in this country, and it is going to be that way to the end.”Do you think individual racist acts or structural racism are obstacles to Black people achieving equal outcomes with white people today?Not anobstacleNoanswerMajorobstacleMinorobstacleIndividual acts of racism and discriminationBlack5273%20Hispanic6712192White4636153Structural or systemic racismBlack79%1182Hispanic5724181White4324285Black adults who said they were treated unfairly in the past year because of race attributed it to people:Discriminatingon purposeUnaware theyare being unfair70%27Do you think individual racist acts or structural racism are obstacles to Black people achieving equal outcomes with white people today?Not anobstacleNoanswerMajorobstacleMinorobstacleIndividual acts of racism and discriminationBlack73%2052Hispanic1267192White4636153Structural or systemic racismBlack79%1182Hispanic5724181White2854324Black adults who said they were treated unfairly in the past year because of race attributed it to people:Discriminatingon purposeUnaware theyare being unfair70%27The survey found scant trust among African Americans in fundamental American institutions. While a majority of African Americans, 57 percent, are hopeful that the ongoing protest movement and push for racial equality would produce meaningful change, 53 percent of white people expected no meaningful change.Was there a time in the last 12 months when you felt you were treated unfairly in the following places because of your racial or ethnic background?HispanicWhiteBlackIn a store where you were shopping40%248At your place of work28175In dealings with the police, such as traffic incidents26184While getting health care for yourself or a family member20195Was there a time in the last 12 months when you felt you were treated unfairly in the following places because of your racial or ethnic background?WhiteBlackHispanicIn a store where you were shopping40%248At your place of work28175In dealings with the police, such as traffic incidents26184While getting health care for yourself or a family member20195Still, the ongoing disparities have Black people pessimistic about their current standing in American society. She often believes that if they were wealthy, or perhaps white instead of Black, that would not have happened.“You can never know, but when all of your doctors are white, you can come to the conclusion that is about race,” she said.She gets the same feeling when she goes to the doctor with her 78-year-old mother, Shirley Taylor, who, among other things, suffers from chronic stomach problems. “It seems like there is never any conversation or dialogue to try to get at what might be the underlying problem.”Can you trust these institutions to do what is right for you or your community all or almost all of the time?HispanicWhiteBlackDoctors59%7278Local hospitals566270Local schools465557The health care system445055The police305672The courts254246Can you trust these institutions to do what is right for you or your community all or almost all of the time?WhiteBlackHispanicDoctors59%7278Local hospitals566270Local schools465557The health care system445055The police305672The courts254246Black Americans were more likely than white people to cite specific negative encounters with the health care system, including feeling that providers didn’t believe they were telling the truth, being refused a treatment or test they thought was necessary, and being denied pain medication.It is a feeling Camellia Moses Okpodu, dean of the college of arts and sciences at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, knows personally. The result is that Black patients often are reluctant to share whatever ails them and, more often than white patients, leave doctor’s visits feeling unheard.“Physicians tend to dominate the conversations when they are seeing African American patients,” Cooper said.