Author: carper.58

Text Review: A Time to Kill (1996)

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Text Review: A Time to Kill (1996)

Once a book and now a movie, A Time to Kill is one of the most iconic movies of all time. The 1996, film began with an emotional scene involving Carl Lee Hailey’s (Samuel L. Jackson), a black man’s daughter being raped and almost killed by two white men. The film then becomes complicated when Carl Lee makes the ultimate decision to shoot and kill the two men in front of the entire Canton, Mississippi community. From there, the rest of the film is based on Carl Lee confiding in a young white lawyer, Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey) to help set him free from the biggest capital murder trial anyone has ever witnessed.

This film explores the idea of racism and reveals how power and wealth play a huge role in cheating the court system. Throughout the movie, we can see that the prosecutor (Kevin Spacey) cheats the system by persuading the judge to keep the trial in Canton, Mississippi, forcing the idea of keeping an all-white jury, and sneaking around to find confidential evidence. Additionally, the film visits the rebirth of the KKK whose primary goal is to destroy the lives of those helping Carl Lee and initiate riots to prove a point that “no black man should be set free of murder.”

There was one major scene and two eye-opening quotes that really helped me understand racism and the term “Othering.” This happened when Jake went to visit Carl Lee in prison, and the famous line was “When you look at me, you don’t see a man, you see a black man,” and “… no matter how you see me, you see me as different, you see me like the jury sees me, you are them.” These quotes show that Carl Lee chose Mr. Brigance because he knew that having a white lawyer could potentially persuade and influence the jury to see the situation as if the little girl was white. In the end, Carl Lee knew the jury would never see him as the same or look past the color of his skin to give him a fair trial, so he thought of Mr. Brigance as his “secret weapon.”

While this movie is considered fictional the ideas are real and paints a picture for what those times were like for Blacks. Overall, I find this movie to be inspirational, emotional, and educational and if anyone gets the opportunity to watch it, they should.

Advice Column: “Yo, Is This Racist?” Racial Inequality in Healthcare

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| Introduction |

In today’s column of “Yo, Is This Racist?” we are joined by Mo F, Chase C, and Lauren G to discuss racial inequality and how to address this issue in a profession that is well-known, relevant, and utilized every day. Today’s news stations often talk about the inequality that minorities face when it comes to law enforcement, education, and careers, but they shy away from one of the biggest problems: HEALTHCARE.

Mo, Chase, and Lauren will be giving our readers insight into what racial inequality in healthcare means for those seeking care and how this system can address this issue to provide the best outcomes for everyone involved.

Mo, first question. So, tell us a little about racial injustice. How can someone outside of the healthcare field picture the role race plays in receiving care?

Mo: It is important to understand what the terms racial injustice and disparity mean. Basically, when certain groups of people deal with more challenges than the greater population strictly based on their ethnicity and/or race, they are facing racial injustice. In America, typically those who are white never suffer from these issues. Racial injustices are still relevant and influence many different aspects of the United States society to this day. One major area where racial injustices remain is the American healthcare system. As quoted by Peggy Maguire, “to transform healthcare we must acknowledge the trauma of systemic racism and work together to solve it” and this highlights how racism is rooted in several issues seen in healthcare. A way that makes this easy to understand is to envision these challenges as obstacle courses. There are two different courses. A course for the majority (white people) and a course for different minorities. The course for the minorities is much harder to get through than for the Whites for reasons they all have zero control over, their race.

That analogy between healthcare related challenges and different courses really paints a picture for how race serves as a factor in healthcare. Would you mind elaborating on what beliefs and ideas may contribute to unequal care?

Mo: Sure. Minorities face healthcare related challenges at disproportionate rates compared to Whites, so it’s important to get a better understanding of the challenges they face. Oftentimes certain views and biases may cause doctors to be more negligent towards certain patients. For example, in a study carried out in 2016, it was found that an alarming amount of white medical students believed that Black people have a higher pain tolerance. From the participants, 73% held at least one false belief about the biological differences between races. Many people believe that black people have thicker skin, less sensitive nerves, and stronger immune systems which is all a very harmful way of thinking (Rees, 2020).

Wow, that’s pretty shocking.

Mo: Exactly. It’s important to be aware of these ideologies because they may lead to individuals not receiving necessary treatment. Reports have stated that minorities are less likely to receive appropriate pain medication compared to white people. A shocking example is pregnant women who are giving birth to a child. The concept that Blacks have a higher pain tolerance leads to many women of color not receiving the attention and pain medication needed during labor and delivery. Low-income individuals often reside in trauma deserts which are not within close proximity of trauma care centers. On top of limited access to trauma centers, studies show that there are often racial biases that may prevent people of color from receiving emergency care. We can see these biases through the eyes of children and their parents. According to Frontiers in Pediatrics, most emergency departments refrain from providing care to Black and Latino children compared to Whites. Unfortunately, when physicians choose to reduce the number of blood tests, CT scans, or X-rays ordered, they are showing signs of racial injustices (Rees, 2020).

These are definitely eye-opening examples of how care can be altered by racial factors. Chase, as a healthcare professional and hearing what Mo has discussed, is anything you would like to add?

Chase: Mo, I think you bring up excellent points and really express the difference in care being provided to both Whites and individuals of a different race. I want to take a second to appreciate how you described this gap as an “obstacle course” because it further reveals how this issue is extremely complex and unfair, and why it needs to be addressed ASAP. It is important for people living in the United States to understand how this truly impacts individuals suffering from this form of discrimination. Based on what I believe when it comes to providing care for patients, we have a duty to provide the best care for our patients no matter who they may be. Patients come to us in the most vulnerable times of their lives, so dismissing any concerns that they have or concerns that may harm the patient based on racial biases is devastating and sickening. I think Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. put it best when he said:

Chase, you’re right, MLK put it best. It is upsetting and incredibly frustrating that in a field built on healing people, this field is also quick to show the true colors of racial injustice.

Chase: Absolutely. Building off the points Mo discussed earlier, the factors that contribute to the persistent inequalities show just how desperately the healthcare system in the United States needs to change. Issues such as gaps in health insurance coverage and uneven access to services are the main factors that begin the “initial process” for this type of discrimination, eventually leading to poorer health outcomes (Taylor, 2019). Mo and I have a few statistics we would like to share.

Mo:

  • African Americans have the highest mortality rate for all cancers combined compared with any other racial and ethnic groups
  • Hispanic women are 40 percent more likely to have cervical cancer and 20 percent more likely to die from cervical cancer than non-Hispanic white women
  • In 2014, only 60% of Black and Latinx people aged 65 or over got a vaccination, compared to 70% of white and Asian people of the same age.

Chase:

  • In 2017: 10.6% of African Americans and 16.1% of Hispanics were uninsured compared to 5.9% of Non-Hispanic Whites.
  • As of 2020: 13.8% of African Americans reported having fair or poor health compared to 8.3% of Non-Hispanic Whites (Carratala & Maxwell, 2020).

Those statistics show how real racial inequality is in this field, and how shockingly high the rates are. Now Lauren, you’ve listened to the conversation of your colleagues, in what ways can these concerns of racial injustice be addressed?

Lauren: Since racism in the healthcare system is a large, deeply rooted problem, there is not just one perfect solution to solve this injustice. There are many aspects to be considered when developing a solution including accessibility, education and awareness, policy, and personnel.

  • Changes made in accessibility looks like increasing the number of emergency departments (ED), trauma centers and primary care providers in areas where the population of minority groups are higher than that of the majority groups. Currently predominantly Black zip codes are 67% more likely to have a shortage in primary care physicians (Rees, 2020). Developing properly staffed trauma centers and increasing the number of primary care physicians in predominantly minority areas could help with accessibility.
  • Improvements made to education and awareness include creating curriculum for addressing and educating about implicit biases. Bringing awareness to implicit biases, false beliefs, and the roots of racism in healthcare will allow staff to assess their own biases and allow for changes to be made. Education can be provided to help people make those changes in their conduct. Research states that allowing people to share about the discrimination that they have faced can be a beneficial portion of the healing process. Another important step is having people who have faced discrimination in the healthcare system share their experiences with others and hospital staff to bring awareness to the problem and show others how they have been discriminated against.
  • Changes made to policy include examining and reevaluating current policies and procedures. This involves changing policies that are based on race and creating policies that promote equality. Another aspect includes creating accountability frameworks and methods to report discrimination and racism as it occurs. There are currently ways to report discrimination and racism, but it is often underused because of fear of punishment or disbelief that the problem will actually be addressed. These framework methods need to be fixed so that problems are solved, and people can report problems without fear of retaliation.
  • Changes made to personnel include increasing diversity among all levels of hospital staff, creating scholarships for minority groups interested in careers in the healthcare field and investing in community programs. Increasing diversity in all levels can help a broader range of voices and opinions be heard, while also holding people and practices accountable for racial injustices.

As you said, racial injustices and racial disparities in healthcare are a major problem. The solutions you mentioned seem to be the most crucial in making the changes the healthcare field desperately needs. Lauren, you, Mo, and Chase brought focus to racial inequality in a way that will certainly open the eyes of others. Do you have any concluding thoughts?

Lauren: While there is still a lot of work to be done in combating racism in the healthcare system, a few hospitals are taking initiative to end racism in their hospitals. Boston Children’s Hospital has created a community program to help prevent conditions that lead to asthma attacks in low-income Black and Latinx children. This community program is helping kids not miss school, while also helping the families by not having to pay money for additional ED visits and hospital stays. UCLA, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, and Massachusetts General Hospital are also taking steps towards reducing racism in their hospitals. UCLA has developed an Instagram-like platform to allow students, staff, and clinicians to report in real-time incidents that occur and allow for dialogue to be sparked about the injustices that have occurred. The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is also creating a real-time reporting platform to report discriminations and racial injustices that occur. Massachusetts General Hospital has developed a zero tolerance conduct policy for patients which grants the ability to dismiss any patient that engages in discriminatory behavior towards the staff of the hospital.

These initiatives appear to be a step in the right direction. Mo, Chase, and Lauren thank you for joining “Yo, Is This Racist?” on this column and bringing awareness to the racial injustice that exists in healthcare.

 

Works Cited:

Carratala, S. & Maxwell, Connor. (2020, May 07). Health disparities by race and ethnicity. CAP. Retrieved November 20, 2021, from https://www.americanprogress.org/article/health-disparities-race-ethnicity/

Emanuel, E. J., & Lavizzo-Mourey, R. (2020, September 24). 5 ways the health-care system can stop amplifying racism. The Atlantic. Retrieved November 20, 202, from https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/09/how-health-care-can-stop-amplifying-racism/616454/

Hostetter, M. & Klein, S. Confronting racism in health care. The Commonwealth Fund. Retrieved November 20, 2021, from https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/2021/oct/confronting-racism-health-care

Rees, M. (2020, September 16). Racism in healthcare: What you need to know. Medical News Today. Retrieved November 16, 2021, from www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/racism-in-healthcare

Taylor, J. (2019, December 19). Racism, inequality, and health care for African Americans. The Century Foundation. Retrieved November 20, 2021, from https://tcf.org/content/report/racism-inequality-health-care-african-americans/

 

 

Diary of Systemic Injustice Showcase

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For my systemic injustice showcase I would like to further expand on my third topic, healthcare services provided to patients of preferred sexual orientation. Similar to the concept expressed in Simone de Beauvoir’s The Same Sex, LGBTQ members often feel as if they are considered the “Other” when receiving medical attention because they gain a sense of feeling powerless and unheard. Furthermore, I want to touch base on a situation that allowed me to understand why they are perceived as the “Other” and how it effects their overall health and well-being. This particular situation happened not too long ago and involved both a healthcare provider and patient. An unfortunate confrontation happened when a patient sensed that a nurse was refusing to provide care because of their preferred sexual orientation. Often, these patients reflect on their damaging past relationships with healthcare professionals, and this leads to them feeling frightened, judged, and misunderstood. Since this, I tend to think about how these individuals must feel and try to understand their emotions, which is why I chose to continue exploring this topic.

After extensive research, I found numerous articles that displayed why LGBTQ members have a hard time seeking the highest quality of medical care. Additionally, these articles expressed how members of the LGBTQ community experience high rates of mental, physical, and behavioral distress and high rates of infections. For example, one article revealed that 61% of gay and bisexual men are currently living with HIV in the United States, with 70% consistently reporting new infections (Kates et al., 2018). Furthermore, a study showed that 60% of transgender adults reported having poor health compared to 37% of cisgender adults. Of these results, 40% reported postponing screens and 68% reported some form of discrimination (Medina, 2021). From my perspective, these rates are high because many of these individuals often refrain from treatment due to the lack of education and communication by healthcare professionals, and the ongoing “Otherness” they experience. With that, it is crucial for this issue to be addressed ASAP.

            There are a few things that are currently being done to help ensure that LGBTQ members feel as confident and equal as those of the general population. According to John Hopkins Medicine (2021), a project is being done called The EQUALITY Study which aims to change how healthcare providers in emergency rooms obtain information about sexual orientation. In addition, many universities are providing updated medical curriculums to ensure that medical students are receiving adequate education on sexual orientation. While these things are considered positive strides, more actions need to be taken to further reduce the number of LGBTQ members experiencing this type of discrimination. By continuing to take action it can help these individuals feel like they belong in this crazy world and eliminate their chances of feeling like the “Other.”

                                                          

Citations:

Kates, J., Ranji, U., Beamesderfer, A., Salganicoff, A., Dawson, L. (2018 May 03). Health and access to care and coverage for LGBT individuals in the U.S. Kaiser Family Foundation. https://www.kff.org/report-section/health-and-access-to-care-and-coverage-lgbt-     individuals-in-the-us-health-challenges/

Medina, C. (2021, August 25). Fact sheet: Protecting and advancing health care for transgender adult communities. Center for American Progress. https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/lgbtq-rights/reports/2021/08/25/503048/fact-sheet-protecting-advancing-health-care-transgender-adult-communities/

Neria, P.M. (2021). LGTBQ health care: Answers from expert paula neira. John Hopkins Medicine. https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/lgbtq-rights/reports/2021/08/25/503048/fact-sheet-protecting-advancing-health-care-            transgender-adult-communities/

Week-12 Context Presentation “Interpreter to Maladies”

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In Jhumpa Lahiri’s, Interpreter to Maladies, she explores a variety of themes such as marriage, assimilation, communication, and malady. While each of these themes can be identified and understood throughout the nine different stories, marriage seems to be the most common one being portrayed. Furthermore, Lahiri discusses a wide range of diverse relationships among married couples and reveals how each couple handles different stressors in their lives such as the death of a stillbirth, extramarital affairs, and arranged marriages.

For example, the book starts with “A Temporary Home,” and shares how the death of a stillborn child slowly breaks Shoba and Shukumar’s marriage apart. Towards the beginning of the short story, it is clear that the couple is happy and ready for a child, but it slowly takes a turn for the worse and they began miscommunicating, finding pleasure in other things, and resenting each other for the loss of the child. According to David Gibson (2021), couples who experience a stillbirth have a 40% higher risk of sharing signs of resentment and ending their relationships. Another marriage worth noting is Mr. and Mrs. Das’s in “Interpreter of Maladies.” This short story reveals how Mina (Mrs. Das) lives with guilt and pain because of an affair she had with Raj’s Punjabi friend. Similar to Mina’s actions, 53.5% of all women are known to sleep with their husband’s close friend (McPherson, 2018). Finally, the last story “The Third and Final Continent,” shares a more positive marriage where the narrator and Mala experience geographical separation, cultural hardships, and an arranged marriage in which they overcome to establish a loving and long-lasting relationship.

It is evident that Lahiri does an excellent job conveying the message that all married couples will face some life-altering obstacle, and the outcome is purely defined by their actions. In the end, each of the nine short stories help paint a vibrant picture of the marriages we see in today’s society by sharing their common imperfections.

 

Citations:

Gibson, D. (2021). Miscarriages and stillbirths put some couples at risk. For Your Marriage.        https://www.foryourmarriage.org/blogs/miscarriages-and-stillbirths-put-some-couples-at- risk/

McPherson, D. (2018, April 04). Extramarital sex partners likely to be close friends, and men are more apt to cheat. Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine. https://www.colorado.edu/asmagazine/2018/04/04/extramarital-sex-partners-likely-be-close-friends-and-men-are-more-apt-cheat