New research paints a worrying picture of the care being given to Black people across the UK.
Black people in the UK are being discriminated against and made to feel unwelcome by sexual and reproductive health services, new research has revealed.
The project, led by representatives from University College London’s eHealth Unit in collaboration with the Decolonising Contraception collective and The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, confirmed that Black people face a number of extra barriers to accessing care that are rooted in “structural, institutional, and interpersonal racism”.
Based on a selection of interviews with Black people from across the UK, the research highlights just how pervasive racism and discrimination are in the healthcare system.
“Our research showed there is still much work to be done to ensure Black people have positive experiences of sexual and reproductive healthcare,” the project’s researcher Dr Shardia Briscoe-Palmer wrote in a blog post about the results.
“Participants talked about not feeling welcome, not feeling listened to, and negative stereotypes and assumptions, leading to a lack of trust and reluctance to attend services at all,” she continued. “The feeling of not being listened to was a theme which came up frequently.”
The project also revealed that Black women’s pain is frequently being “dismissed” or not taken seriously – and that racialised stereotypes continue to surface in patient-doctor interactions.
At a time when research has shown that Black people experience some of the worst sexual and reproductive health outcomes in the UK, it’s concerning that so many people are feeling excluded from such integral services – and it’s clear that urgent change is needed.
Alongside addressing a lack of visibility and representation in clinics and dealing with the “legacy of stereotypes” that continue to affect Black people’s care, Dr Briscoe-Palmer said further action is needed to ensure patients feel comfortable coming forward.
“A patient-centered approach should be holistic, flexible and collaborative, and service users should receive timely, confidential, non-judgmental access to care that addresses their needs,” she concluded.
“Our research showed that Black people, as for all service users, want to feel welcomed, comfortable, listened to and supported to make decisions about their own sexual and reproductive health.”
Image: Getty
Source: Read Full Article