Racism is an obstacle to equitable healthcare, as documented in studies showing unequal healthcare provision, access, and receipt across countries and health outcomes. One issue related to the race of patients is maternal and child health. Various studies show that African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN), and Asian or Pacific Islander women have an increased risk of pregnancy-related death (MacDorman et al., 2021). The researchers also concluded that the risk of postneonatal mortality for black babies was 151% higher than for white babies (Singh & Yu, 2019). Nurses can be one of the critical factors in the fight against racism in the healthcare sector. Health workers must adhere to the Code of Ethics, which calls for improving health and human rights and reducing inequalities. Nurses in all areas require a dedicated effort to recognize racism and take effective action to correct health inequities and improve the quality of care.
Initially, when searching for articles, I chose the site of the Chamberlain University Library. However, I could not find conclusive articles supporting my research question, but I gained some basic knowledge that helped me advance my research. I used Google Scholar for peer reviewed articles, picking out research from 2017 to keep it up to date. That helped me find the articles I needed on the topic and successfully conduct my research.
Although I have tried to study only relevant articles, some of them either covered too much time or considered trends in the development of racism in past years. Nevertheless, the articles I have chosen completely reflect the purpose of the study and allow it to be backed up with scientific facts. Because of this, I have considered each aspect separately: both articles focus on racism as a factor in maternal and infant mortality. Since each paper highlights one of the problem’s sides, they helped me to consider different aspects of my research. However, further studies are needed to explore the impact of nursing on combating racism in the health care system.
References
MacDorman, M. F., Thoma, M., Declcerq, E., & Howell, E. A. (2021). Racial and ethnic disparities in maternal mortality in the United States using Enhanced Vital Records, 2016‒2017. American Journal of Public Health, 111(9), 1673–1681. Web.
Singh, G. K., & Yu, S. M. (2019). Infant mortality in the United States, 1915-2017: Large social inequalities have persisted for over a century. International Journal of Maternal and Child Health and AIDS (IJMA), 8(1), 19–31. Web.