as a future physician, will you treat all your pts. the same, regardless of race?

[MadameLULU]

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Hi.

I am starting this thread to start a NONDIVISIVE discourse about racial disparities in the physician-pt. relationship and implications for minority health. Anyhow, I posted a comment in the following thread (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=1841575&postcount=14) about how studies have shown that non-white physicians treat non-white patients differently in terms of prescribing medicine and treatment-- basically these studies show that African Americans get poorer treatment. These studies all controlled for SES, medical condition, etc., so don't even say it is because of lack of insurance that they were treated this way.

Someone asked for references, so here they are...

Josefson, Debra. ?Pain Relief in US Emergency Rooms is Related to Patients? Race. BMJ. 2000; 320:139.

Shulman, Kevin A. et al. ?The Effect of Race and Sex on Physicians? Recommendations for Cardiac Catherization.? The New England Journal of Medicine. 1999;3 40(8): 618-625.


What do y'all think. If you are planning to write something that is offensive or uncalled for, please don't. I want to discuss these issues in a rational manner so please have respect for others.

EDIT: I meant WHITE Physicians treat NON-WHITE patients differently. Sorry about the mixup.

 

[JattMed]

Well if a study has been done then why do this?
Go do a legitimate study
You think that this post will lend any validity to the point in question?
Bottom line...........you are stirring up trouble.
Now go pay your taxes!

 

[wxl31]

i'm not sure what you mean by the "same." as physicians, we need to know that certain races disproportionately carry the burden of disease. i might more closely talk to an African-American mother about SIDS than i would to a caucasian mother. or mention to a vietnamese woman that she has 5x the risk of getting cervical cancer and spend more time talking about what a pap smear is to get over the cultural taboo of getting one. so no, i'm not going to treat everyone the "same." is this racial profiling, but in a good way?

 

[MadameLULU]

Well if a study has been done then why do this?
Go do a legitimate study
You think that this post will lend any validity to the point in question?
Bottom line...........you are stirring up trouble.
Now go pay your taxes!

Let me QUOTE myself: "I am starting this thread to start a NONDIVISIVE discourse about racial disparities in the physician-pt. relationship and implications for minority health."

I think we should all be aware of points in these articles and NOT minimize their implications.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

i'm not sure what you mean by the "same." as physicians, we need to know that certain races disproportionately carry the burden of disease. i might more closely talk to an African-American mother about SIDS than i would to a caucasian mother. or mention to a vietnamese woman that she has 5x the risk of getting cervical cancer and spend more time talking about what a pap smear is to get over the cultural taboo of getting one. so no, i'm not going to treat everyone the "same." is this racial profiling, but in a good way?

good points, but otherwise an emphatic "yes"!

 

[SunnyS81]

Heck no! I would treat indians (as in the subcontinent) like crap. I hate those brown people!

Sunny Singh

 

[runner1979]

Hi.

I am starting this thread to start a NONDIVISIVE discourse about racial disparities in the physician-pt. relationship and implications for minority health. Anyhow, I posted a comment in the following thread (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=1841575&postcount=14) about how studies have shown that non-white physicians treat non-white patients differently in terms of prescribing medicine and treatment-- basically these studies show that African Americans get poorer treatment. These studies all controlled for SES, medical condition, etc., so don't even say it is because of lack of insurance that they were treated this way.

I know I'd be interested to hear others' opinions as well. Before I respond, though, could you clarify the non-white physicians treat non-white patients statement? I thought your original post dealt with white physicians and non-white patients.

 

[JattMed]

Heck no! I would treat indians (as in the subcontinent) like crap. I hate those brown people!

Sunny Singh

Not all Indians are brown!
Some are white/light skinned, olive skinned and some are even black skinned.
However I guess the majority are brown skinned.
When did the whole brown people thing start?

 

[JattMed]

How would one treat a Peurto Rican Croatian Jew who has a mix of African and Arab blood to boot.............oh yeah and he is an albino............but wears blue contacts

 

[IndyZX]

Not all Indians are brown!
Some are white/light skinned, olive skinned and some are even black skinned.
However I guess the majority are brown skinned.
When did the whole brown people thing start?

Uh, cause we're mostly brown...

 

[Phased]

If I ever become a doctor (God willing, lol), I'm going to look at patients X, Y, Z as $, $ and $ and not white, black, or asian.


Edit: oh snaps. I just realized that that's one reason why patients are treated differently. 😱

 

[MadameLULU]

I know I'd be interested to hear others' opinions as well. Before I respond, though, could you clarify the non-white physicians treat non-white patients statement? I thought your original post dealt with white physicians and non-white patients.

I just edited my original post. I meant to type WHITE physicians and non-white patients....

 

[kc222]

Patients should be treated with with the same quality of care but like someone else has said we'll have to emphasize different things to different patients. So yes - all patients should be treated with respect and compassion but also no because studies have shown that different diseases affect different races disproportionately.

 

[synapse lapse]

Cultural competence is important in medicine, and should be acted on accordingly. I will treat my patients in the best way possible to lead to the greatest outcome, whether it be equal treatment or not. Equality is not always the best solution. I will not discriminate or give poor treatment to any patient, as I hope noone else here would either.

 

[dhoonlee]

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