How Can We Close the Gap of Mistrust in BIPOC Communities?

 
   

More Programs and Publications Featuring Dr. Marwan Shaikh

In this program:

Some sickle cell disease BIPOC patients may feel some mistrust of physicians. Dr. Marwan Shaikh shares key ways that SCD patients and providers can help work toward closing the gap of medical mistrust.

Transcript

Ariqa Everett:

So when we're talking about the ways in which people from different racial backgrounds, just have the kind of step up that they can be represented in medicine. What do you think are some of the ways that we're trying to close that gap of mistrust that we have with physicians?


Dr. Marwan Shaikh:

The biggest thing is education, I think you know at some point, someone's going to have to take a leap of faith and say, “You know what, I have to be there for myself, I have to advocate for myself and stand up for myself.” From a provider standpoint, you know if a patient comes to me and is confident about what they're doing, confident they know what their disease is doing, it makes my job much easier, and it'll be more welcoming, more receptive. And obviously from a physician standpoint, there can always be bias, and so yes, there are a ton of hematologists around. We talk about lack of providers, as I mentioned earlier, we all get training in it. They, at least in Jacksonville where I am, there are at least 40 to 50 hematologists who've seen sickle cell patients, then again, how many of us feel comfortable taking care of them as a long-term patient, how many can take the insurance? And so that can be those kinds of challenges, but I think being an advocate and educating in one key step.

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