BDR. MAYA GREEN (holding microphone) is joined by African American health advocates like Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller in a panel to discuss health disparities among Black women at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition during Maternal Health Week. Emphasizing the need for more Black physicians to address the cultural gap in healthcare.” (Photo by Chinta Strausberg)
The Chief Health and Equity Officer at Onyx Medical Wellness Center, Dr. Maya Green acknowledged, “That is true. There are studies that prove that,” in response to an elected official confirming her observation regarding white doctors’ disregard for Black females’ complaints.
During a panel discussion marking Maternal Health Week, Dr. Green, along with other health and Cook County officials, underscored the enduring disparities faced by Black women due to the prevalent issue of white doctors dismissing their concerns.
Dr. Green reiterated, “That is true. Some white doctors don’t listen to Black women’s medical complaints. When Black women talk about their pain, it’s perceived to be exaggerated, including Black celebrities,” citing instances of similar dismissive attitudes towards prominent figures.
That is why she believes it is important for Black women to have advocates for them when they go to the hospital.
She was told that some elected officials believe that at some medical school’s professors allegedly teach their students to ignore or minimize complaints from Black female patients.
Agreeing, Green said, “That is where it’s coming from. If you look at the percentages of doctors and the culture of medicine when Blacks are in medical school, they have to dress like you are part of the white culture, communicate like you are part of the white culture, and react to things like you are a part of the white culture” to be considered professional.
“In any organization like the health industry, if the leadership is mostly white and culturally detached, then the teachings will be, the doctors will be. It’s sort of a trend,” said Green.
“When you look at the disparities on the other side, if you happen to be a white man having a white job, the systems work well for me because there are cultural preferences to me built within the system.”
Green was part of a panel discussion presented by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition on Saturday, April 13, where the women talked about various disparities Black women suffer because of improper, or lack of access to, healthcare.
With Afrika Porter as moderator, Green was joined by Dr. Paris Thomas, Dr. Erica E. Taylor, Ayesha Jaco and Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller.
Later in an interview with the Chicago Crusader and on WVON’s “ON THE CASE,” Green said, “The chances of Black women having maternal mortality is three times the rate of white women, but in Chicago, it is six times the rate of white women. Black infants have five times the chances of dying than white infants, she said citing data from the 2020 Chicago Health Atlas.
In addition to infant mortality among mostly Black infants, are five times the rate of whites.”
She said while this issue is focused for a week, it should be the focus year-round.
When asked why Black infants are dying at a higher rate than white infants, Green said, “Like a tree, the problem is in the root which is inequity…like poor nutrition, poor access to care. We see that in Chicago.”
Green said in Chicago there are no birthing centers or hospitals that are nearby and when mothers are in labor, they have to travel long ways to get proper care. “The disappearance of midwives in our community” is another reason that can be attributed to infant mortality, she said.
“We have to be very intentional about the welfare and support system and know the people for homecare like maternal, preventative health and emotional support. We should know that before they are needed, before they have their children.” That way, she said, the mothers will have identified trusted resources before giving birth.
Green said maternal mortality occurs when the mother dies, and in Chicago that rate for Black mothers is six times higher than among white mothers, and infant mortality in Chicago is five times the rate of whites.
When asked how this can be corrected, Green said, “Literature shows that African American people receive better care when they receive it from African American doctors.
“In the U.S., about 2.8 percent of all physicians are Black women and 2.6 percent of all physicians are Black men,” Green said given the fact that African Americans make up 13 percent of the population.
She said when Black women go to hospitals and have pain, their symptoms are “not as well received and responded to as other cultures” by some hospital medical teams.
“It is a well-established belief in the medical industry that African American women and moms feel less pain, and when we rate our pain, they feel we are exaggerating,” Green stated.
She referred to a documentary, called “After Shock,” that “literally documents where Black moms tried to advocate for themselves, but the system doesn’t listen to them. We need to increase the number of Black doctors and the people who need to advocate for these women.”
She believes the Black community should go back to the concept of “spaces where the birthing of our children is a community event because that normalizes the process. It doesn’t take the mom and the baby outside the community. That is what has worked for us historically, and that is what we need to go back to,” Green said.
