How the US medical community fails Black mothers
Summary
TLDRThe script is a poignant speech about maternal mortality rates in the United States, particularly the disproportionately high rates among black mothers. It tells the story of Shalon Irving, a black woman with advanced degrees and a career in public health, who died from childbirth complications. The speaker emphasizes the systemic racism and implicit bias in healthcare that contribute to these deaths, calling for action to transform the healthcare system and reduce disparities. The speech concludes with a call to acknowledge and combat inequity, and to empower black women in healthcare.
Takeaways
- π°οΈ The speaker wishes to turn back time to save Shalon, highlighting the irreversible loss due to maternal mortality.
- π¨ Between 700 to 800 women die each year in the U.S. from pregnancy and childbirth-related complications, indicating a significant public health issue.
- π The U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed countries, with a steadily increasing trend that's alarming.
- π€ Black mothers, like Shalon, are disproportionately affected, with a mortality rate 3 to 4 times higher than white women, underscoring racial disparities.
- π« 60% of maternal deaths are preventable, suggesting that current healthcare practices are failing to protect mothers adequately.
- π The racial disparity in maternal health outcomes has remained unchanged for six decades, pointing to systemic issues.
- π The healthcare system's dismissal and disregard for black women's concerns contribute to the high maternal mortality rates.
- π Shalon's story illustrates that even with advanced education and professional status, black women face bias and racism in healthcare.
- πΆ The loss extends beyond the mother to families and society, with children left without their mothers and the potential contributions they could have made.
- π The speaker calls for systemic change, emphasizing that the problem is not just with individuals or hospitals but deeply rooted in the healthcare system's foundation.
- πͺ The speaker and others have founded a non-profit to eliminate preventable deaths among black mothers, showing a proactive approach to addressing the issue.
Q & A
What is the estimated number of women who die each year in America from pregnancy and childbirth-related complications?
-Between 700 to 800 women die each year in America from pregnancy and childbirth-related complications.
What is the United States' ranking in terms of maternal mortality among developed countries?
-The United States has the highest rate of maternal mortality of any developed country in the world.
Which demographic is primarily affected by maternal mortality in the United States?
-Black mothers like Shalon remain the primary group for maternal mortality.
What is the disparity in maternal death rates between black and white women in the United States?
-Black women die at a rate of three to four times that of white women.
How many of the maternal deaths are preventable according to the script?
-It is absolutely shameful that 60 percent of those deaths are totally preventable.
What is the speaker's relationship to Shalon?
-The speaker is Shalon's mother, who lost her daughter to maternal mortality.
What educational and professional background did Shalon have despite her unfortunate death?
-Shalon had dual PhDs in sociology and gerontology, two master's degrees, one of them in public health from Johns Hopkins, and was a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Public Health Service.
What is the root cause of disparities in health care as mentioned in the script?
-The root cause of disparities in health care is the covert bias fueled by structural racism.
What steps is the speaker taking to address the issue of preventable deaths among black mothers?
-The speaker has joined forces with Shalon's friends and CDC colleagues to found a non-profit that is working to eliminate preventable deaths among black mothers through various actions, including engaging stakeholders, promoting accountability measures, and empowering black women.
What is the name of Shalon's daughter and how old is she?
-Shalon's daughter's name is Soleil, and she is three years old.
What is the call to action the speaker is making at the end of the script?
-The speaker is calling for a collective effort to right the wrongs in the healthcare system, to eliminate racial disparities in maternal mortality, and to create a better earth, inspired by Shalon's life and work.
Outlines
π Maternal Mortality Rates and Racial Disparities
The speaker expresses deep sorrow over the loss of their daughter, Shalon, and highlights the alarming maternal mortality rates in the United States, which are the highest among developed countries. The script emphasizes the racial disparity, with Black mothers experiencing a death rate three to four times higher than white mothers. It points out the preventable nature of 60% of these deaths and criticizes the healthcare system for its failure to address these disparities effectively. The narrative also recounts Shalon's credentials and her repeated unsuccessful attempts to seek help from healthcare providers, illustrating the systemic racism and bias that contribute to these tragic outcomes.
π The Personal Impact and Societal Loss
This paragraph delves into the personal impact of Shalon's death on her family, particularly her daughter, Soleil, who only knows her mother through photographs and stories. The speaker poignantly describes the loss of a potential medical and social justice contributor, highlighting the broader societal implications of such preventable deaths. The paragraph also critiques the healthcare system's failure to address the systemic issues contributing to maternal mortality, suggesting that the problem is deeply rooted and requires more than just addressing individual cases or hospitals.
π« Addressing Systemic Failures in Healthcare
The speaker calls for a transformation in the healthcare system, emphasizing the need for acknowledgment of the systemic failures that lead to racial disparities in maternal mortality. They stress the importance of taking responsibility for these failures and actively working to rectify them. The paragraph introduces the speaker's initiative to found a non-profit organization with the aim of eliminating preventable deaths among Black mothers. The organization's strategies include engaging with stakeholders, promoting legislative changes, and empowering Black women to counteract bias and racism in healthcare. The speaker concludes by urging everyone to use their influence to make a difference and to commit to creating a better world.
π Creating a Better Earth: A Call to Action
In the final paragraph, the speaker vows to create a better earth in memory of Shalon and calls for collective action to address the racial disparities in maternal health. They emphasize the importance of vision combined with action to bring about real change, drawing inspiration from Nelson Mandela's quote. The speaker invites everyone to join in the mission to eliminate preventable deaths among Black mothers and to ensure that no woman is marginalized or dies needlessly in the healthcare system.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Maternal Mortality
π‘Racial Disparities
π‘Implicit Bias
π‘Structural Racism
π‘Preventable Deaths
π‘Healthcare System
π‘Accountability
π‘Community-Based Research
π‘Empowering Black Women
π‘Vision and Action
Highlights
If given the chance, the speaker would do anything to bring back their loved one, Shalon, who died due to pregnancy and childbirth complications.
Between 700 to 800 women die each year in America from pregnancy and childbirth-related complications.
The United States has the highest rate of maternal mortality of any developed country, and it's the only one where the rate is rising.
Black mothers like Shalon are the primary group affected by maternal mortality, with a death rate three to four times that of white women.
60 percent of these maternal deaths are preventable, highlighting a significant healthcare issue.
The risk difference for black women has been unchanged for six decades, indicating a persistent systemic problem.
The speaker calls for race to no longer be a precursor to how black women are treated in the healthcare system.
The medical community is failing black mothers, with a history of dismissal and disregard for their concerns.
Racism and discrimination in healthcare are overt or subtle but present, impacting the quality of care black women receive.
Despite Shalon's advanced degrees and professional achievements, she was still subject to bias as a black woman in healthcare.
Structural racism is identified as the root cause of disparities in healthcare, impacting patient outcomes.
The speaker's granddaughter, Soleil, only knows her mother through photographs and memories, highlighting the personal impact of these losses.
The speaker emphasizes the broader societal loss due to the preventable deaths of women like Shalon, who could have contributed significantly.
The speaker argues that the problem is systemic and not just about individual actions or specific hospitals.
Improvements in data accuracy, algorithms, checklists, and apps are necessary but not sufficient to address the issue.
Implicit bias training without accountability measures will not make a difference in improving outcomes.
Leaders in the medical community must take steps to transform the healthcare system and acknowledge its failures.
The speaker has founded a non-profit to eliminate preventable deaths among black mothers through action and advocacy.
Empowerment of black women and their birthing partners is key to counteract bias and racism in healthcare.
The speaker calls for collective action and influence to address and change the systemic issues in maternal healthcare.
Vision with action can change the world, and the speaker vows to create a better earth for black mothers in healthcare.
Transcripts
[Music]
foreign
[Music]
if i could turn back the clock and bring
shalon back
i would literally do anything
i would happily give everything if i
could see her smiling face once again
but sadly even if shalon were here
it would not change the fact that
between
700 to 800 women die
each year in america from pregnancy and
childbirth related complications
the choice to have a child should never
equate to a death sentence
the rate of maternal deaths in america
is utterly appalling
in 2017 npr and propublica
reported that the united states has
the highest rate of maternal mortality
of any developed country in the world
and the united states is the only
country
where that rate is steadily rising
black mothers like shalon remain the
primary group
for maternal mortality it is
truly reprehensible
that black women die at a rate of three
to four
times that of white women
it is absolutely shameful
that 60 percent of those
deaths are totally preventable
as was my daughters and here's a
shocking fact
according to the report by health
resources and services administration
the difference in risk
has been steadily unchanged
for the past six decades
six decades clearly
current efforts to address maternal
mortality rates
and the racial and health disparities
in that area remain woefully inadequate
only when race stops being the precursor
to how black women are treated
or not treated in the health care system
then
outcomes will be drastically different
i want to be abundantly clear now
the medical community is failing
black mothers in america
for decades black women have been
dismissed
ignored disregarded or at the very least
they have been not taken seriously
in their interactions with the health
care system
it's not uncommon for black women to
experience racism and discrimination
by medical providers that racism can be
blatantly overt
or covertly subtle but make no mistake
it is there it didn't matter that shalon
had dual phd in sociology
and gerontology it didn't even matter
that shalon had two master's degrees
one of them a master's in public health
from johns hopkins
it made no difference that shalon was a
lieutenant com
commander in the u.s public health
service an
alumnus of the well world-renowned
epidemic intelligence service
a highly respected epidemiologist at the
centers for disease control
and president of her own diversity
company
she was still a black woman a black
woman
accessing a system that saw her as a
stereotype
and responded to her as such
during the three weeks after her child
was born
shalon went to her health care providers
again
and again in distress
obviously with her education and
training
she could and she did articulate her
concerns very clearly
yet her cries for help were minimized
and dismissed by the covert bias
of her medical provider that
very bias fueled by structural racism
is the root cause of disparities in
health care
that very bias impacted shalon's outcome
that very bias caused my daughter
to be among the statistics
for 2017.
as a result i lost my beautiful little
girl
my baby girl i lost my confidante
i lost my best friend i lost my whole
world
shadon's daughter lost her mother and
all of the relationship possibilities
that could have existed between
the two of them
the society may have suffered the
greater loss
who knows how many medical advancements
or social justice contributions
shalon may have made if only her medical
provider
had listened to her and heeded her cries
for help
we will never know but this much we do
know
behind every one of those 700 to 800
women who die
is a family and a whole social network
of loved ones
including the children left behind like
soleil
shalon's daughter soleil is three years
old now
she has a quick smile every bit as
brilliant as her mother's was
soleil is fearless she's determined
and she's so opinionated and
so smart so lake constantly amazes me
at how confidently she is navigating her
world
but soleil only knows her mother through
photographs
and the cherished memories that i have
and share with her every day
yet soleil loves her mommy who was with
her for only
three short weeks
she tells me so each day
my heart aches each time soleil cries
for her mommy it is during those times
soleil has said to me nana
i want to go to heaven so i can be with
my mommy
it should not be that way
it doesn't have to be that way
it can really no longer
continue to be that way
when i said earlier that the medical
community is failing black mothers
some may have wondered if i'm painting
with too broad a brush
after all it's individuals who are to
blame here right
or perhaps we should say that a relative
handful of hospitals
which happen to be the ones that are
largely used by black women
and other minorities are at the
epicenter of maternal mortality in
america
but i would argue that focusing on a
handful of
individuals or a handful of hospitals
is defining the problem way too narrowly
the problem behavior isn't about the
actions of specific individuals or
hospitals
it's much more systemic than that
what's more the prevalence of the
problem
is deeply entrenched embedded
in the very foundation of our health
care system
it is this broad-based failure that
continues to allow disparities in
maternal
health and death which result in black
women
just like shalon dying at rates
300 percent higher than white women
it's been well documented year after
year
decade after decade generation
after generation and nothing
effective has been done to fix it
how do we fix it
is there a definitive answer to
eradicating disparities in maternal
mortality
well improvements in data accuracy
are critical but not nearly enough
algorithms checklists apps
they all play an important role but
they're no panacea either
and i really can't emphasize enough
that implicit bias training without
explicit explicit
measures of accountability will make
absolutely no difference at all
it is time it is long
past time that leaders in the medical
community
take steps to transform the health care
system
status quo the first step must be
acknowledging
that the inherent problem in the health
care system
is more than a problem it's a failure
the next step requires taking
responsibility
and owning that failure but the most
important step
is actively taking the necessary actions
to right the wrongs created by that
failure
a wise woman once told me if you want
something different
you have to do something different
my daughter was committed to doing
something different
shalon was known as a woman of great
integrity and
high moral values when asked about her
driving principles in life
she would respond i see in equity
wherever it exists
i'm not afraid to call it by name and i
work hard to eliminate it
i vow to create a better earth
shalon put those words into action every
day of her life
former surgeon general david satcher
once said
leaders must care enough leaders must
know
enough leaders must be willing to do
enough
and leaders must be willing to persist
until the work
is done shalon was such a leader
though there will never be another
leader like shalon
we can each persist until the work is
done
here's what i'm doing to persist until
the work to say
black mothers is done to get things
started
i joined forces with several of shalon's
friends and cdc colleagues we founded a
non-profit
we're working hard to eliminate
preventable deaths
among black mothers and here's how we're
doing it
with action action and more
action we're engaging stakeholders at
every point of the public health and
health care spectrum
we're actively working with the
legislative office
we're promoting accountability measures
and postpartum bills
and we want them enshrined in the law
we're embarking upon a community-based
research project which will redefine
quality of medical care for black women
ultimately we will tilt more power
into the hands of black women how are we
going to do that
by empowering black women and their
birthing partners
to effectively counteract the bias and
racism they experience
at any given point during pregnancy
child
birth and postpartum
look around you each one of us
in this room has a circle of influence i
invite you to consider
how powerful an impact we could make if
we
focus that collective influence
on this problem on making a difference
what if we like shalon acknowledged
inequity
wherever it existed in our communities
and we weren't afraid to call it by name
what if we were each committed and
passionate
about using the full range of our
resources
to eliminate that inequity could we
change things could we
really overturn centuries of prejudice
and decades of bad practice
i know we could i know
we could if we were
focused on that issue if we
focused that collective energy
to quote nelson mandela when people
are determined they can overcome
anything but
action without vision it's only passing
time
vision without action is merely
daydreaming
but vision with action can
truly change the world
shalon's life was the perfect embodiment
of the vision shalon's death
is our call to action so today
let each of us vow to do whatever we can
let us vow to right this wrong
let us vow to be a part of the solution
until black women are no longer
marginalized
and dying needlessly in the health care
system
and like my daughter dr shalon maureen
irving
let us each vow to create a better earth
thank you
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