Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Journal of Legal Medicine

Publication Date

12-13-2013

ISSN

0093-1748

Page Number

413

Keywords

healthcare, rational decisionmaking, costs and benefits of healthcare

Disciplines

Health Law and Policy | Law

Abstract

This paper makes the case for racial disparities in the consumption of healthcare and advocates for a large-scale cost-benefit change for healthcare practitioners and the African American community to ensure efficient consumption of healthcare by African American patients. Part I explores the history of African Americans and the healthcare system, arguing the history of this interaction fuels many of the present-day decisions not to consume healthcare.

Part II explores the current racial differences in healthcare treatment and outcomes for African Americans in order to lay the framework for racially disparate treatment in America's healthcare system.

Part III of this paper offers programs and policies that decrease the costs of healthcare and suggestions to decrease the costs of healthcare through culturally tailored programs in African American communities. This paper concludes that a large-scale reform of the healthcare system and its interaction with the African American community will decrease the costs of healthcare for many African American patients and even will increase the benefits to healthcare by improving African American patient care.

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