Black Health Self-Advocacy and Improving Healthcare Outcomes
According to a recent Pew Research Report (2022), the majority of Blacks (51%) don’t think there has been an improvement in healthcare for Blacks: 47% say health outcomes for Black people have gotten better over the past 20 years, while 31% say they’ve stayed about the same and 20% think they’ve gotten worse.
The Pew report cites that Blacks see the healthcare system itself as contributing to the lack of improvement problem: 49% say a major reason why Black people generally have worse health outcomes is because health care providers are less likely to give Black people the most advanced medical care. A roughly equal share (47%) says hospitals and medical centers giving lower priority to their well-being is a major reason for differing health outcomes.
From the Pew Research Report on Blacks views about health disparities and their experiences with the healthcare system in America, it is clear to the African American Health Awareness & Wellness Promotions Association (AAHAWPA) that building Black Health Self-Advocacy is a must to improve better Black healthcare outcomes.
Black Health Self-Advocacy is based on the notion that health care begins with me, that in order to be a ‘responsible’ health consumer interacting with the healthcare system Blacks must be informed, involved, and engaged; be equipped with the knowledge and skills to confidently and effectively communicate with healthcare providers.
Health Self-Advocacy allows a Black person to stay in control of their life as much as possible with chronic conditions. When living with chronic pain, long-term illness, or a disability, it is often necessary for individuals to advocate for themselves in order to receive the care and resources they need. This may include advocating for themselves with hospitals, physicians, pharmacies, employers, or other groups, such as disability resource offices.
What’s critically important is that Black Health Self-Advocacy helps counteract racial bias in the healthcare system. This bias can lead to a missed diagnosis or inadequate treatment. Self-advocating against bias by bringing it to the medical professional’s attention or reporting it to managers in a healthcare system can lead to better outcomes. Indeed, Black Health Self-Advocacy can contribute in reducing healthcare racial bias.
Regarding doctor patient relations, health self-advocacy can improve a Black person’s confidence, competency, and communications; self-advocacy means knowing your diagnosis, symptoms, treatments, and medications; self-advocacy ensures informed health care decisions are made jointly.
The following are some points to become a better self-advocate in your appointments with your doctor and specialists:
*Prepare for appointments by asking what you need to have on hand such as past medical records or a list of your medications.
*Educate yourself on your chronic medical concerns or potential conditions using reputable sources. Seek information and opinions from credible institutions, providers, and experienced patients.
*Know as much as you can about your family's medical history.
*Show up to appointments on time with a list of your questions; be open and honest about how you feel.
*Keep a diary of your symptoms including time of onset, severity, what you’ve tried, and other important details so you can clearly explain where you are at in your journey.
*Take notes during your appointments. Make sure you get the correct spelling of any hard to pronounce terms.
*Don’t hesitate to ask for better explanations in more or less technical terms.
*Make sure you clearly understand your follow-up plan including the need for any additional tests, monitoring or referrals to other providers.
*When in doubt about a doctor's medical decision seek second, or even third opinions.
According to a recent Pew Research Report (2022), the majority of Blacks (51%) don’t think there has been an improvement in healthcare for Blacks: 47% say health outcomes for Black people have gotten better over the past 20 years, while 31% say they’ve stayed about the same and 20% think they’ve gotten worse.
The Pew report cites that Blacks see the healthcare system itself as contributing to the lack of improvement problem: 49% say a major reason why Black people generally have worse health outcomes is because health care providers are less likely to give Black people the most advanced medical care. A roughly equal share (47%) says hospitals and medical centers giving lower priority to their well-being is a major reason for differing health outcomes.
From the Pew Research Report on Blacks views about health disparities and their experiences with the healthcare system in America, it is clear to the African American Health Awareness & Wellness Promotions Association (AAHAWPA) that building Black Health Self-Advocacy is a must to improve better Black healthcare outcomes.
Black Health Self-Advocacy is based on the notion that health care begins with me, that in order to be a ‘responsible’ health consumer interacting with the healthcare system Blacks must be informed, involved, and engaged; be equipped with the knowledge and skills to confidently and effectively communicate with healthcare providers.
Health Self-Advocacy allows a Black person to stay in control of their life as much as possible with chronic conditions. When living with chronic pain, long-term illness, or a disability, it is often necessary for individuals to advocate for themselves in order to receive the care and resources they need. This may include advocating for themselves with hospitals, physicians, pharmacies, employers, or other groups, such as disability resource offices.
What’s critically important is that Black Health Self-Advocacy helps counteract racial bias in the healthcare system. This bias can lead to a missed diagnosis or inadequate treatment. Self-advocating against bias by bringing it to the medical professional’s attention or reporting it to managers in a healthcare system can lead to better outcomes. Indeed, Black Health Self-Advocacy can contribute in reducing healthcare racial bias.
Regarding doctor patient relations, health self-advocacy can improve a Black person’s confidence, competency, and communications; self-advocacy means knowing your diagnosis, symptoms, treatments, and medications; self-advocacy ensures informed health care decisions are made jointly.
The following are some points to become a better self-advocate in your appointments with your doctor and specialists:
*Prepare for appointments by asking what you need to have on hand such as past medical records or a list of your medications.
*Educate yourself on your chronic medical concerns or potential conditions using reputable sources. Seek information and opinions from credible institutions, providers, and experienced patients.
*Know as much as you can about your family's medical history.
*Show up to appointments on time with a list of your questions; be open and honest about how you feel.
*Keep a diary of your symptoms including time of onset, severity, what you’ve tried, and other important details so you can clearly explain where you are at in your journey.
*Take notes during your appointments. Make sure you get the correct spelling of any hard to pronounce terms.
*Don’t hesitate to ask for better explanations in more or less technical terms.
*Make sure you clearly understand your follow-up plan including the need for any additional tests, monitoring or referrals to other providers.
*When in doubt about a doctor's medical decision seek second, or even third opinions.