Abstract Details

Title Perception of Racial Inequalities and Health Disparities Among Black Neurologists in the USA

Topic Health Care Disparities

Presentation(s) S14 - Health Care Disparities (11:51 AM-12:03 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 004

Objective To investigate the perception among U.S. black neurologists for the national need for more black neurologists and to analyze their perception of racial inequity issues and of a need to close disparity gaps.

Background Although many neurologic conditions are more prevalent among blacks only 3% of US neurologists identify themselves as such. There is a disparity in the healthcare administered to black patients, but it is not clear how black neurologists perceive such disparities and how inequalities affect their practice.

Design/Methods Survey consisting of 22 questions sent via e-mail to the members of the American Society of Black Neurologists (SBN). The survey inquired about the perception of racial inequality and about the perception of a need to close disparity gaps.

Results The sample included 26 participants, 15 (57%) were women and 17 (65%) had practiced for 10 or less years. 25 respondents (96%) agreed that increasing the number of black neurologists would help minimize neurology healthcare disparities while 23 (88%) participants agreed that because of their race, they had fewer chances to make mistakes than white counterparts. Among respondents 25 (96%) agreed that increasing black neurologists in academia would increase interest in neurology among black medical students. Among respondents 13 (70%) joined in hopes of recruiting more black medical students into neurology, 5 (25%) joined because they experienced the perception of being an outsider at their workplace, and 25 (96%) agreed that during their journey in medicine they had been treated differently because of their race. Apprehension to speak up when witnessing mistreatment towards a black patient was admitted by 6 (23%) respondents.

Conclusions In this study most black neurologists identified a need for more black neurologists to minimize healthcare disparities and admitted being discriminated during their clinical training and professional life because of their ethnicity.

Authors/Disclosures
Timothy Caldwell PRESENTER	No disclosure on file
Julio A. Chalela, MD (Medical University of South Carolina)	Dr. Chalela has nothing to disclose.

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