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The mistreatment of black people, especially black women, stems from institutional racism also known as structural racism. Structural racism is a form a racism expressed in the practice of social and political institutions. It is reflected in inequalities regarding wealth, criminal justice, employment, healthcare and much more.
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Between the 1980’s and year 2010, the maternal mortality rate has doubled in the United States. Between 2011 and 2013, caucasion women had a maternal mortality rate of 12.7 deaths per 100,000 live births. African American women’s rate is a high 43.5.
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Mistreatment of black women in hospitals is happening daily. A 25 year old Milwaukee woman died after waiting for over three hours in an emergency room to see a doctor. She went to the ER for chest pains and shortness of breath and eventually left after the long wait. She died on January 2, 2020 after leaving to find other care.
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Black women are less likely than white women to receive radiation therapy with a mastectomy. In fact, they are less likely to receive the removal of a breast. In addition, black patients are more likely to receive less desirable treatments. This is concluded because the rate at which black patients have their limbs amputated is much higher than white patients.
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Serena Williams says that during her pregnancy she experienced tension with her doctor regarding her history with blood clots. The doctor refusing to take into account her past health problems led to a pulmonary embolism, a condition in which one or more arteries in the lungs becomes blocked by a blood clot. Williams says that she was not taken seriously by the caretakers which led to this problem.
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The mistreatment of black women within healthcare is not based on income, area of treatment, insurance, nor education. Infant mortality rates for black women with a college degree are higher than those for white women with just a high school education.