Racial Inequalities in the Treatment of HIV/AIDS Patients
Presentation Type
Oral and/or Visual Presentation
Presenter Major(s)
Psychology, Sociology
Mentor Information
Mary deYoung
Department
Sociology
Location
Kirkhof Center 2266
Start Date
11-4-2012 4:00 PM
Keywords
Changing Ideas/Changing Worlds, Culture, Freedom and Control, Health, Human Rights, Social Class, Social Science, U.S. Diversity
Abstract
The inequalities in the discrepant health care of African American HIV/AIDS patients are created through a multitude of societal encounters. This study looks at historical reasons showing why African Americans may be distrustful of the medical system, as well as interpersonal issues within systems and social interactions of today that have serious impacts among the population. These problems can range from getting care in different medical settings to unrecognized racial dynamics in the doctor-patient relationship. These factors create a poor match of care to need for patients, and they have greater struggles with their treatment plan often caused by lack of physician communication leaving the patients with a medical plan that they ultimately cannot follow. This study aims to show that it is this gap in understanding, failing to see the big picture, that causes African Americans to have problems following medical treatment plans, not inborn characteristics or stereotyped traits.
Racial Inequalities in the Treatment of HIV/AIDS Patients
Kirkhof Center 2266
The inequalities in the discrepant health care of African American HIV/AIDS patients are created through a multitude of societal encounters. This study looks at historical reasons showing why African Americans may be distrustful of the medical system, as well as interpersonal issues within systems and social interactions of today that have serious impacts among the population. These problems can range from getting care in different medical settings to unrecognized racial dynamics in the doctor-patient relationship. These factors create a poor match of care to need for patients, and they have greater struggles with their treatment plan often caused by lack of physician communication leaving the patients with a medical plan that they ultimately cannot follow. This study aims to show that it is this gap in understanding, failing to see the big picture, that causes African Americans to have problems following medical treatment plans, not inborn characteristics or stereotyped traits.