Addressing Health Equity: The Challenges and Achievements of Rachel Hardeman

Health equity has been a significant issue in the healthcare industry for decades. The disparities in health outcomes between different racial and ethnic groups are stark and undeniable. One scholar, Rachel Hardeman, has been making waves in this field, bringing awareness to how structural racism impacts health outcomes. However, her journey has not been without its challenges.

Rachel Hardeman: A Pioneering Health Equity Scholar

Rachel Hardeman, a professor at the University of Minnesota, has dedicated her career to researching structural racism in health care. Her groundbreaking findings include the fact that Black newborns have a higher survival rate when cared for by Black physicians. Additionally, she discovered that U.S.-born Black women living in intensely policed neighborhoods are twice as likely to have preterm births. Her research emphasizes the critical role that structural racism plays in health outcomes and the need for the healthcare industry to tackle this issue head-on.

Hardeman's work, including the influential essay 'Stolen Breaths,' co-written with other scholars, calls for healthcare systems to dismantle systems of structural racism. Since the death of George Floyd, her work has gained significant prominence, leading to her promotion to a full professor and the establishment of a Center for Antiracism Research for Health Equity under her leadership. However, she is also grappling with the realization that the change she wants to effect cannot be achieved quickly. The time constraints imposed by academic grants and other funders can be limiting, leading Hardeman to contemplate whether true anti-racism work can ever be executed within academia.

The New York State Doula Pilot Program: A Step Towards Health Equity

In response to the racial disparities in health outcomes, initiatives like the New York State Doula Pilot Program have been launched. This program aims to reduce maternal mortality rates and racial disparities in health outcomes by covering doula services for anyone on Medicaid.

The presence of a doula during pregnancy, labor, and delivery can significantly improve health outcomes. Research suggests that individuals supported by a doula during childbirth are less likely to require a C-section, use pain medication, and are more likely to give birth spontaneously, have shorter labor, and feel satisfied with their birthing experience.

Community-based doulas provide culturally and racially concordant care, addressing the needs of specific communities that historically have had worse birth outcomes. However, there are concerns that low reimbursement rates for doulas participating in Medicaid may affect their willingness to participate, thereby limiting the potential impact of this program.

Conclusion

The work of scholars like Rachel Hardeman shines a light on the pervasive issue of racial disparities in health outcomes. While her findings have brought attention to this issue, there is still much work to be done. Initiatives like the New York State Doula Pilot Program are a step in the right direction, but systemic change is required to truly address health equity. It is crucial for healthcare systems, practitioners, and policymakers to understand and address the role of structural racism in health outcomes and to work towards dismantling the systems that perpetuate these disparities.