Evidence Suggests Black Doctors Help Black Patients Live Longer

A shortage of Black doctors in the U.S. means less access to them for patients of color.

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that areas with more Black doctors equate to lower mortality rates for patients of color. The study only examines geographic correlation between the two. However, its findings lend support to many studies highlighting how patients of color who receive care from providers of the same racial makeup ultimately benefit.

There is growing confirmation that communication, trust and follow-through on medical advice are often improved when healthcare providers mirror the population they serve. Karey Sutton, Ph.D., of MedStar Health Research Institute in Maryland recently relayed to The Association of American Medical Colleges, “Can we say that if you [a Black patient] have a Black doctor, you’re going to have better health outcomes? Yes, we can. Because the evidence shows Black doctors provide better care for Black patients.”

Dr. Kaishauna Guidry, M.D. is one of only a handful of Black female hospice physicians practicing in the U.S.

Dr. Kaishauna Guidry, M.D. is a black hospice physician and CEO of Mourning Dove Medical in Murrieta, California. Dr. Guidry agrees that some patients of color do ask to be treated by someone of the same race. Guidry says that this “culturally congruent care” can often benefit patients, stating, “They can relate. And for some, it can make the process better.” But Guidry warns, “I’m not sure it is a question even worth asking … we are not in many places and we are too isolated.”

The JAMA study also sheds some light on this growing need for more Black doctors. More than 50% of U.S. counties were not eligible for the study, as there were no Black primary care physicians practicing in those areas. While the U.S. Census Bureau shows nearly 14% of the country’s population is Black (primarily African Americans and people of Carribean descent), less than 6% of physicians are people of color, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. And even fewer are primary care providers.

History May Be To Blame?

Some firmly believe that our country’s long history of racial injustice is to blame for the lack of doctors of color, as well as the distrust of the healthcare system amid Black communities. The Unequal Treatment Report released over 20 years ago by a panel of the National Academies’ Institute of Medicine was the first to highlight the longstanding racism as the cause for racial health disparities in the U.S.

Dr. Guidry says she has witnessed the lack of understanding of diversity that creates barriers in communication and distrust. Guidry states, “I have seen black families express themselves very emotionally in healthcare situations. And the [white] staff will call security instead of a chaplain in these situations.”

Marcia Lowe, R.N., Ph.D., says the National Black Nurses Association strives to educate Black communities about the benefits of healthcare and planning.

Additionally, the Supreme Court’s ruling in 2023 to end Affirmative Action that granted preference on admissions for students of color in higher education institutions since 1961 have some concerned about a worsening shortage of Black doctors, according to an NBC report. The American Nurses Association is duly appalled at the Court’s ruling. As the nation’s largest healthcare profession, with nearly 5.2 million registered nurses nationwide, only 6.3% of R.N.s identify as Black or African American., according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

Marcia Lowe, R.N., Ph.D., is the 2^nd vice president of the National Black Nurses Association. Lowe says the numbers of Black nurses has not changed in too many years. “It’s still a small percentage. Since COVID, some have gone on to do other things. And the younger generation wants more flexibility in their life, so they may not choose to commit to the nursing profession.”

No matter when or whether more Black doctors will practice medicine in this country, Dr. Guidry says that highlighting the distrust among people of color again and again won’t help the matter. She encourages, “Time and understanding is what we must have in order to bridge this gap. You don’t have to be the same color as someone to care well for them. You just have to make a connection and break down the barriers of miscommunication. That is the key.”