Is There a Race Correction in the Prometer?

2min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

A recent study on the sprometer from the US looked at 14,000 readings on black people over 10 years. They found that removal of the race correction led to an increase of 20.8% in the diagnosis of any pulmonary defect. Lundy Brown: The fact is that the race correction in this barometer discriminates between people based on an ill-defined concept with some very questionable history.

When COVID-19 hit it didn't kill indiscriminately. In the US, being Black, Hispanic, or Native American meant you had a much greater risk of death than if you were white. And these disparities are mirrored across the world.

In this episode we explore the complex tale behind this disparity. Throughout history, racism and biases have been embedded within medical technology, along the clinicians who use it. Cultural concepts of race have been falsely conflated with biology. The way medicine is taught, has reinforced flawed stereotypes. Disease itself, has been racialised. All of this adds up to barriers to care and worse health outcomes for many people, just because of the colour of their skin.

Science and scientists have played an influential part in embedding such racism into medicine But by challenging received wisdom science too has the power to right wrongs, and work towards solutions.

Click here for our list of sources

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.