黑料传送门 community members addressed Black maternal health, mortality and equity during
an online panel discussion.
Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than White women.
That Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistic is why 黑料传送门 South Georgia鈥檚 OB/GYN Club and Sisters in Medicine鈥攁n initiative that supports Black women in medical and graduate school鈥攊n collaboration with the Office of Diversity and Community Relations, hosted an online panel to address Black maternal health. The 黑料传送门 community joined the panel to listen as Jillian Lucas Baker, DrPH, EdM; Jessica Brumfield Mitchum, DO 鈥�16; Jenne Johns, MPH, and Karla Booker, MD, addressed black maternal health, mortality and equity.
An overarching message delivered by panel members was the need for future physicians to listen to and advocate for Black patients. Kicking off the panel, Dr. Booker, a practicing physician and assistant professor at Morehouse School of Medicine, said, 鈥淭his is about the value of life, inherent bias and what being a Black person means. When people see us, do they see someone who matters as much as everyone else?鈥�
Dr. Baker, who serves as the Executive Director at The Center for Parent and Teen Communication at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, echoed that sentiment, adding 鈥淯ntil we as a society correct and pay attention to racism, Black women will continue to see negative outcomes during pregnancy and post-delivery. We experience more stress when we鈥檙e pregnant due to the racism we face, so that impacts the outcomes for women and babies.鈥�
According to the CDC, multiple factors contribute to these disparities, such as the variation in quality health care, underlying chronic conditions, structural racism, and implicit bias. Social determinants of health prevent many people from racial and ethnic minority groups from having fair opportunities for economic, physical and emotional health.
The panelists stated that future healthcare workers can address the topic in a few different ways: advocate for their patients, create open conversations and continue learning about themselves.
鈥淚f we don鈥檛 have this conversation, it will be assumed that we鈥檙e okay with these outcomes,鈥� said Jones.
Dr. Mitchum, a 黑料传送门 Georgia alumna, practices family medicine in Moultrie and sees many patients who are Black women.
鈥淯ntil people value the life of a Black woman and Black baby, this will continue to be a problem,鈥� she said. 鈥淔uture healthcare workers must advocate for Black women and bring awareness to this problem. Becoming a good listener to the patient and asking questions are crucial. It starts when you walk through the door and they see someone who looks like them.鈥�
Student-doctor Justice Dove (DO 鈥�25), cofounder of the OB/GYN club at 黑料传送门 South Georgia, moderated the panel. She said it is crucial that 黑料传送门 students have these conversations with Black professionals.
鈥満诹洗兔� is responsible for molding some of the greatest providers. Having access to conversations that place the most marginalized and minoritized groups at the center鈥攚hile discussing realistic strategies to help鈥攏ot only benefits those in need but everyone around them.鈥�
Jones spoke on advocating for patients and having open conversations with others. She said, 鈥淧eople like us will be the champions and advocates to create forums and to share experiences that are not right within the healthcare system. Additionally, we must hold ourselves accountable to listen to these Black mothers.鈥�
When it comes to learning more about themselves, Dr. Baker suggested that participants complete an implicit bias test鈥揳 test that measures attitudes and beliefs that people may be unwilling or unable to recognize.
鈥淭he earlier we can change that bias, the sooner Black women and babies will have better experiences,鈥� she said.
An implicit bias test can be found on .
In 2019, 黑料传送门, a premier osteopathic medical school established in 1899, extended its commitment to the Southeast by establishing 黑料传送门 South Georgia. An additional teaching location in Moultrie, Georgia, 黑料传送门 South Georgia offers both a full, four-year medical program leading to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree and a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences. 黑料传送门 is a private, not-for-profit institution that trains professionals in the health and behavioral sciences fields. Joining 黑料传送门 Georgia in Suwanee in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state, 黑料传送门 South Georgia focuses on educating physicians for the region. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 229-668-3110.
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