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CNN Live Today
Study: African-Americans Get Lower-Quality Health Care Than Whites
Aired March 20, 2002 - 11:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: There was a new study by the Institute of Medicine revealing that minorities are receiving a lower quality of health care regardless of their income and regardless of their insurance. Rea Blakey now and a closer look at the finding in this study.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REA BLAKEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Institute of Medicine study confirms what many blacks have long suspected: white patients are getting more aggressive health care than blacks, regardless of income or insurance coverage.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If the study was done correctly, it wouldn't necessarily surprise that that came out.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think most black people are aware of this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Studies are just catching up. It's been existing.
BLAKEY: The study concludes not only is there overwhelming evidence that blacks get lower quality care, but that second-class care leads to higher death rates in blacks when it comes to HIV AIDS, cancer and heart disease.
Among her patients, cardiologist Patricia Davidson often sees the double whammy of racial and gender disparity.
PATRICIA DAVIDSON, WASHINGTON HOSPITAL CTR.: It's very disturbing that people can not look at an African-American woman and perceive that she may have heart disease as a possibility and be referred appropriate for the test they would refer everyone else for.
BLAKEY (on camera): Perhaps one of the more shocking results of the study, black men with advanced prostate cancer are more than twice as likely as white men to be referred for surgical castration.
(voice-over): The procedure is rare these days. Most patients opt for testosterone-reducing medications. Urologist Mike Manyak disputes the racial difference. He hasn't performed a castration in a decade. DR. MICHAEL MANYAK, GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIV. MEDICAL CENTER: I can tell you that in this large urban setting, we do not see that as a trend at all.
BLAKEY: The Institute of Medicine researchers also found the rate of amputations related to diabetes three times higher for blacks than for whites.
DR. CAMERON AKBARI, WASHINGTON HOSPITAL CTR.: Typically, their disease, their diabetic vascular disease, has been neglected longer.
BLAKEY: Vascular surgeons, like Dr. Cameron Akbari, often see patients with advanced disease and multiple health problem, patients like diabetic Rudolph Smith, whose right leg recently amputated above the knee.
RUDOLPH SMITH, DIABETES PATIENT: I starting to notice my left foot, and it was beginning to turn black.
BLAKEY: The second amputation surgery would have taken one hour, instead Dr. Akbari performed a five-hour surgery, searching for a healthy vein to replace the damaged leg vein. It saved Mr. Smith from becoming a double amputee.
SMITH: I'm not displeased. I'm not displeased. I think he did a heck of a job.
BLAKEY: This time, the partnership between minority patient and doctor worked well. But according to the Institute of Medicine, all too often, that's not the case. Rea Blakey, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Take it a step further right now. Dr. Lisa (sic) Levizzo-Mourey, director of the health care group for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is our guest now.
Doctor, good afternoon to you.
DR. RISA LAVIZZO-MOUREY, VP, DIR. HEALTH CARE GROUP, ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION: Hi, Bill. How are you?
HEMMER: I'm just fine. Thank you much for taking time today. I know there was a doctor in Rea's story that disagreed with the study's findings, but what is the study saying about how the health care community got to this point?
LAVIZZO-MOUREY: The findings of this report are unequivocal that treatment is unequal in this country, and that racial disparities exist. This is clearly unacceptable.
HEMMER: And the reason for that is what? I was reading something about geography and a few other factors. What are the factors pointed out?
LAVIZZO-MOUREY: The health care system and the way we all practice in the health care system exists in the same culture that we live in, the social factors the economic factors and so on, and those all have to be considered in understanding this. But we also need to be clear that there are many streams of evidence that point the fact that bias, unconscious stereotyping and prejudice also contribute to the disparities.
HEMMER: Recommendations then are what, doctor?
LAVIZZO-MOUREY: The recommendations have to be comprehensive. We laid out comprehensive set of recommendations directed at doctors, other health care professionals. The regulators and policy makers, patients and the educational community that trains these health care professionals.
HEMMER: Did this surprise you that this came out the way it did?
LAVIZZO-MOUREY: I think that there are -- yes. There are surprises that it is as pervasive and involves heart disease, cardiovascular treatments, renal disease and those treatments; diabetes, the surgical castration that is mentioned in the piece. I think it is very surprising to many that it is as pervasive as it is.
HEMMER: I want to go back to my first question. I want to read from the story where I got the information asking you why we are led in this direction. Report points to time, pressure and positions. Points at things like provider bias against minorities, language barriers and also the geographic location of health care institutions. Based on that, do you understand my question now about how this coming together now?
LAVIZZO-MOUREY: There are -- I think you cited very well the factors. What is often not a appreciated is just how those come together in a particular clinical setting.
HEMMER: Please finish.
LAVIZZO-MOUREY: And part of the issue is that we all have a tendency to use stereotypes to understand the world around us. And when you put a person, a patient in -- and a physician in a situation where all of those stereotypes exist, unconsciously and their pressures like you have to make a decision within six minutes, these situations of disparities can be exacerbated.
HEMMER: Thank you, doctor. Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey live with us today. Many thanks.
LAVIZZO-MOUREY: Thank you.
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