Introduction
For centuries, people of color in the United States of America have faced systemic racism that has been a barrier for these minorities to get access to many essential goods and services. The public health system is one of the most prominent representatives of racial inequality, which consequently significantly affects that state of body and mind of Americans of color.
Latino Community is a minority group that is being majorly discriminated against, which puts their physical and mental state conditions at risk. Numerous research studies have proved the existence of systemic racism that is deeply rooted in the U.S. healthcare system, requiring urgent action to be undertaken, as many lives are put in danger (Feagin & Bennefield, 2014). Lack of action towards this issue can evoke rebellious views among this community.
There is a vital need to explore systemic racism in the Latino community to develop sufficient strategies to reduce it or eliminate it. The representation of this community in the country reaches over 50 million, which is the second-largest Latino population in the world (J. R. Feagin & Cobas, 2014). With regards to such a point, the treatment of the Latino population cannot be overviewed.
There are thousands of historical pieces of evidence that prove significant and sometimes violent expressions of racism towards people of Hispanic origin. The dynamic start of Mexican immigration to the United States in the mid-twentieth century has created a wave of hatred and segregation demonstrated towards this society (Cobas et al., 2009). Oppression of Latinos continues to exist until this day and manifests itself in all life spheres from education to healthcare, which frequently deprives people of opportunities to receive proper, high-quality services.
The Hope to Bring Solution to the Systemic Racism Problems in Medicine
Previously mentioned systemic racism towards the Latino community that has a long-standing nature created not only social inequities but also increased the risk of improper medical treatment that can lead to fatal consequences. Considering the relevance of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have discovered increasing evidence of racist attitudes to minorities, including Latinos, while providing treatment for this disease (CDC, 2020). Such discovery may have a fatal effect on many Hispanic people.
There have been many discoveries made regarding the levels of racism faced by Latinos. A study by Ortiz and Telles (2012) discovered that the skin color of Mexican Americans, the extent of its darkness, to be precise, determines the level of discrimination: the darker the skin, the more racist attitudes they receive. Such behavior projects on the medical care level a Hispanic person will receive, which may be a determinant for their recovery.
To some extent, the inequities in providing medical care to the Hispanic community are explained by the fact that their poverty level is significantly higher, making them unable to afford full treatment. The limitations the Latino community faces while receiving healthcare treatment affect their physical and mental state and requires more attention from the higher governance.
Moreover, some may even hesitate to seek medical help due to previous unfortunate experiences of racial inequality or distrust in the healthcare system in general (CDC, 2020). However, the recent movements for equality and demands to treat each ethnicity as equal have been slowly improving the situation and decreasing the amount of discriminative injustice towards the Latino community.
Facts and Concerns Regarding Systematic Racism in the Latin Population
Even though the Latino community representatives take up high governmental positions, are widely recognized in the entertainment industry, and everyone deeply appreciates their culture, the community still struggles with severe discrimination. Pew Research reports that the Hispanic population is the second most discriminated ethnic group after African-Americans, which must be recognized more widely (11 Facts, 2015). Nevertheless, Latinos are one of the most discriminative groups.
Discriminative behavior is evident not only in the healthcare system, but Hispanic people are also underrepresented in the film industry, jobs connected to science and technology, and the government. Every attempt of demanding equal treatment ends up in racist remarks and accusations of not doing enough, one of the vivid examples being the words of an NBC journalist Tom Breakaway, saying Latinos “should work harder at assimilation” (Gamboa, 2019). Such attitudes cannot be tolerated and should be urgently managed.
Some cases of racial discrimination toward the Hispanic community are simply abominable and frequently unsubstantiated. One of such ridicule conflicts happened with two Latino women, born in the USA, who were detained by the Border Patrol in 2018 for communicating with each other in Spanish at a grocery store (Gamboa, 2019). Such behavior of official figures towards minorities cannot be tolerated.
Constant racial discrimination in different life areas commonly affects the mental health of the minorities leading to depression, lack of self-confidence, or else. Statistics state that around 30% of Hispanics do not have health insurance (11 Facts, 2015). No medical coverage leads to poor mental and physical health conditions.
Strategies to Reduce Racial Discrimination in Healthcare Field
Previously presented evidence demonstrates the evident need to take action and develop strategies that will reduce racial inequities toward the Latino community. It is an important issue of discrimination that requires urgent solutions.
Firstly, and most importantly, all health providers must be aware of all possible methods to indicate and eliminate discriminatory behavior inside the workplace environment. Identified staff with racist inclines must be the first ones to be educated on all aspects of why such behavior is intolerable.
Another feasible strategy for identifying implicit bias is the Implicit Association Test (IAT). The tests are based on fast responses to specific concepts that effectively discover attitudes toward people of different ethnicity (Penner et al., 2014). Such tests must be implemented in every medical facility to ensure their staff is not racially biased towards their patients.
Moreover, the zero-tolerance policy for discriminatory behavior can be promoted as a way of reducing racist remarks or inadequate medical help. Lastly, to achieve an equal, healthy community, with no racial bias, all barriers between people of all origins must be removed to provide equal access to opportunities to everything, including healthcare.
References
11 facts about discrimination and poverty in the Latino community. (2015). DoSomething.Org. Web.
CDC. (2020). Health equity considerations and racial and ethnic minority groups. Centers for disease control and prevention. Web.
Cobas, J. A., Duany, J., & Feagin, J. R. (2009). How the United States racializes Latinos : White hegemony and its consequences. Paradigm.
Feagin, J., & Bennefield, Z. (2014). Systemic racism and U.S. health care. Social science & medicine, 103, 7–14. Web.
Feagin, J. R., & Cobas, J. A. (2014). Latinos facing racism: Discrimination, resistance, and endurance. Paradigm.
Gamboa, S. (2019). Racism, not a lack of assimilation, is the real problem facing Latinos in America. NBC News; NBC News. Web.
Ortiz, V., & Telles, E. (2012). Racial identity and racial treatment of Mexican Americans. Race and Social Problems, 4(1), 41–56. Web.
Penner, L. A., Blair, I. V., Albrecht, T. L., & Dovidio, J. F. (2014). Reducing racial health care disparities. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 1(1), 204–212. Web.