It is a no brainer, for those who live in underrepresented communities and chronic illnesses continue to flourish. Inclusion and Diversity still exists a topic of discussion when it comes to health. We live in a diverse community which still has an enormous amount of mistrust against medical professionals, which is based on the past history of how individuals of certain backgrounds and color are treated when seeking medical care.
Diversity and inclusion are terms that have been used widely in a variety of contexts, but these concepts have only been intertwined into the discussion in healthcare in the recent past. It is important to have a healthcare workforce which represents the tapestry of our communities as it relates to race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, immigration status, physical disability status, and socioeconomic level to render the best possible care to our diverse patient populations.
By 2050, it is estimated that 50% of the US population will consist of minorities and unfortunately, today’s model of healthcare has been noted to have persistent racial and ethnic discrepancies.1 Diverse populations require personalized approaches to meet their healthcare needs. Minorities have been shown to have decreased access to preventive care and treatment for chronic conditions which results in increased emergency room visits, graver health outcomes, and increased likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and mental illness.
This disparity has been prominent in the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery. For example, Sharma et al. explains that there are significant racial disparities in breast reconstruction surgery. Specifically, African American, Hispanic, and Asian women are less likely to proceed with breast reconstructive surgery postmastectomy compared with White women. A study using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database found that more African American women compared with White counterparts opted not to have immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy, many stating they were unable to afford surgery. This discrepancy has been supported by future studies after Medicaid expansion and coverage.
Reference
Nair L, Adetayo OA. Cultural Competence and Ethnic Diversity in Healthcare. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2019 May 16;7(5):e2219. doi: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000002219. PMID: 31333951; PMCID: PMC6571328.
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