All right. So are minorities affected by our current healthcare system? Let’s jump into it. My name is Dr. Erica Steele. I am a holistic doctor in family practice. I hold six degrees in my field in their own, the natural healthcare space. I chose to be a drug list doctor and went to school. So you don’t have to. All right, so let’s jump into it. First, we know that healthcare is fundamental for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, or even socioeconomic status.
Unfortunately, minorities are disproportionately affected by our healthcare system. So let’s talk about it. But first, let’s talk about the higher rates of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, and also higher rates of infant mortality and lower life expectancy than nonminorities.
So it’s essential to address these health disparities and promote health equity for everyone. There are some challenges; even in our healthcare system, minorities are often affected by healthcare. Care disparities, such as poor health outcomes, increased morbidity and mortality rates, which we discussed. For instance, African-Americans are twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites to die from heart disease and stroke, and they have higher rates of diabetes and hypertension. Similarly, Hispanics have higher rates of diabetes.
Obesity as well as cervical cancer. And even Native Americans have higher rates of infant mortality and higher rates of chronic diseases than the general population. Minorities often have limited access to preventative care and medical treatments due to economic and social barriers, such as poverty, lack of health care, insurance, and language.
There’s even an overall access issue that can result in untreated illnesses, misdiagnosis, and delayed treatment that can at least lead to worsening health outcomes. Addressing. Dressing this health disparities requires a multifaceted and holistic approach. It’s an honest approach that increases that access to healthcare services and preventative care for minorities, improving health, education, and literacy, addressing social determinants of health, and increasing diversity in the healthcare workplace.
And, of course, addressing systemic racism and discrimination in our healthcare delivery system. So as a holistic healthcare provider, I often see these healthcare disparities among minorities as a significant issue that requires action and attention to detail. And if we do address that we can promote health equity and ensure that everyone, regardless of weight, has access to quality healthcare services.
I find that. Often I’ll work with people from all different walks of life, other races, religions, and cultural backgrounds. And usually, when they’re seeking healthcare services, they’re gaslit. They’re not heard. They’re dismissed. Or even a lot of the treatments do not necessarily align with their cultural beliefs.
Often, let’s say, for instance, Metformin, which is a popular drug used for diabetes care, can often. Often create many side effects for my minority patients, more so than our nonminority patients. But, unfortunately, these side effects that people are experiencing are often dismissed or not heard of, or, oh, you’re, you’ll get fine or raise the dose, or even they just change to a drug after drug. And there’s a real missing in understanding what makes our bodies a lot different from our nonminority counterparts.
Our bodies simply cannot handle a lot of the toxicity. Loads that a lot of these synthetic drugs have, and we really need to learn more about our nutrition, emotional health, and ancestral trauma passed down through our DNA, impacting our emotional health and mental health. And then, of course, it will affect our physical health.
As we need to learn how to take care of ourselves early on, there are a lot of significant issues we’ll be discussing over this month in April. And I look forward to educating you more about these health disparities. So he’s really affected minorities over April. Awesome. Have a wonderful day.