Addressing Healthcare Disparities for Black and African American Patients

February is Black History Month, and it is the ideal time to talk about the challenges that Black and African American people continue to face when seeking healthcare in the United States today. A range of factors influence this community’s ability to seek out and get adequate care, ranging from systemic inequality to racism.

Nurses and healthcare professionals must understand their vital role in identifying where disparities occur in the healthcare system. By doing so, it is possible to take steps to provide better care and advocate for change to create a more equitable system for everyone.

What Factors Contribute to Healthcare Disparities?

Healthcare disparities are complex differences in access to care and health outcomes that exist among various population groups. These disparities can be influenced by a wide range of factors, including socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, geographic location, education level, and language barriers. Understanding these contributing factors is essential for healthcare professionals, as it enables them to identify where gaps exist and take meaningful action to promote equity and improve the quality of care for all individuals.

Racial Bias

The disparities faced by Black and African American people today are unfortunately rooted in historically racist and discriminatory practices and beliefs. It is important to note that race is a social construct. There are no biological differences that should lead to differences in care across racial groups. 

That being said, historic policies and events have promoted the idea that there are differences. False ideas, like the concept that Black people feel less pain, come from historical abuse and mistreatment by those around them; this idea, as well as other racial biases, must be eliminated to improve care today.

Historical Mistrust

Historical mistrust plays a significant role in shaping how Black patients approach healthcare, often leading to reluctance in seeking medical care or engaging fully with healthcare providers. This mistrust stems from a legacy of systemic racism, unethical medical practices, and discrimination, such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, experimentation on enslaved Black women, and other instances where Black communities were exploited or mistreated by the medical establishment.

These experiences have fostered a sense of caution and skepticism toward the healthcare system, resulting in delayed care, lower participation in preventive measures, and reduced adherence to medical advice. For healthcare professionals, understanding the roots of this mistrust is crucial, as it emphasizes the need for building respectful, transparent, and culturally sensitive relationships with patients to improve trust and, ultimately, health outcomes.

Common Healthcare Concerns

With all of those factors in mind, it is no wonder that Black patients might be wary of the U.S. healthcare system and the healthcare professionals meant to care for them. But, there are times when this community needs more attention to eliminate bias and improve outcomes, particularly in these areas:

Black Maternal Health and Mortality

One particularly troubling statistic is that Black/African American patients are close to three times more likely than to die due to pregnancy-related reasons compared to white people (39.9 per 100,000 live births vs. 14.1 per 100,000 live births between 2017 and 2019).

Black/African American infants have an over two times higher infant mortality rate than white infants do. In fact, a 2025 report from The Harvard Gazette states that the mortality rate for Black infants was 92 percent higher than for white infants in the 1950s, and that number has actually climbed to 115 percent. 

Heart Disease and Related Conditions

Although Black individuals in the United States experience lower overall rates of heart disease compared to white individuals, they are 30% more likely to die from this condition. Additionally, heart disease tends to manifest at an earlier age among Black adults.

The underlying causes of these health disparities are multifaceted. Notably, Black Americans have higher prevalence rates of key risk factors for heart disease, including hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and smoking.

Cancer and Life Expectancy

The disparity in life expectancy underscores the profound impact of persistent inequities in healthcare access, quality, and outcomes. Black and African American patients are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions and more likely to have complications or die from those diseases. As a result, their life expectancy is around five years less than white people, at 72.8 years versus 77.5. 

The American Cancer Society (ACS) reports that, among all racial groups in the United States, Black individuals experience higher cancer death rates and shorter survival times for most types of cancer. The ACS also acknowledges that these disparities are more related to care access and socioeconomic factors than any biological reason.

How to Support Better Patient Care

Addressing these challenges for Black and African American patients calls for a comprehensive strategy that not only enhances medical care, but also strengthens support systems and addresses the broader social and economic factors that shape health. It is the healthcare community’s responsibility to improve patient care and achieve better outcomes for all communities.

Some ways that nurses and healthcare professionals can support Black and African American patients include:

1. Education and reducing bias: It is vital that healthcare professionals consider the environments, histories, cultures, and circumstances of those in the Black and African American community. By educating themselves to better understand these disparities, it’s then easier to understand how to improve care and health outcomes.
2. Build community trust: Another thing to keep in mind is that the Black community understandably does not have high trust in the medical community. As a result, fostering open communication, actively respecting and learning about cultural differences can make a huge difference and keeping patients involved in the decision-making process is essential.
3. Improving representation: Better representation in healthcare, including more Black and people of color (POC) providing care, helps show that healthcare is one that understands all people regardless of their background or the color of their skin.
4. Support advocacy: Advocating for patients is a key responsibility of those in healthcare, and the Black and African American communities can use extra support to know that the institution is looking out for their best interests. Advocates should focus on improving not only access to care but also dismantling systemic barriers and biases that may lead to worse outcomes. 

SHC Supports Our Healthcare Providers and Communities

It is true that Black and African American patients still face disparities in care despite how far the medical system has come today. The disparities affecting these patients are often complex and deeply rooted in factors such as access to care, economic circumstances, social biases, and systemic factors, which have to be addressed. 

Fortunately, by taking the time to learn and understand the realities faced by these communities, it is possible to advocate and work toward the changes that will help create a more effective and caring healthcare system. To learn more about patient population challenges, check out SHC’s recent blog posts.