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Code Switch

In the world of medicine, race-based diagnoses are more than skin deep

Mar 13, 2024
Exploring the impact of race science on medical practices, uncovering the historical biases in healthcare diagnoses, and advocating for a shift towards a more nuanced understanding of health disparities. Addressing challenges in medical education, acknowledging the risks of race-based medicine, and emphasizing the need for quality care and unbiased diagnoses in healthcare.
33:32

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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Racial biases in medicine lead to misdiagnoses, exemplified by kiloids linked to people of African descent.
  • Challenging race-based assumptions in healthcare is crucial to ensure accurate diagnosis and equitable treatment.

Deep dives

The Origin of Kiloids and Racial Associations

The podcast episode delves into the origin of kiloids and the racial associations surrounding them. Historically, medical literature has linked kiloids to individuals of African descent, stating that up to 16% of black people are prone to kiloids. The episode highlights how this statistic traces back to a single study in 1931 conducted in the Belgian Congo, reflecting outdated and racially biased research methods. Dr. Andrea DeRup's investigation uncovers the flawed foundations of these racial associations in medical textbooks, emphasizing the need to reevaluate and challenge such entrenched beliefs.

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