National Minority Health Month providing platform for better health services to the underserved
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – National Minority Health Month takes place in April and brings awareness to minority and underserved communities that often face greater healthcare challenges like limited access to medical care, which can lead to poor health.
Shaunice Phillips is an independent small business owner and grandmother who says a big problem that many face in minority communities is the convenience of health services.
“I know people can go down to the DCF office and try to get a medical card, and they have to sit there all day, you know, and so people don’t have all day is a working mom trying to provide and those different things too, but just trying to make things easier and accessible to be able to overcome the challenges that we have,” said Phillips.
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She says many times, pregnant women of color get mistreated in the hospital because they aren’t working with the same doctors and medical staff needed for a clean pregnancy, which can lead to other complications and missteps during labor.
“I just went in, and I was told what I was supposed to do, you know, and so that’s not the way that it’s supposed to be,” Phillips said. “Women have only one opportunity to have this birthing experience.”
A recent study from U.S. News found that 26 hospitals in 13 states met the standard of “excellent outcomes” for c-sections and unexpected newborn complications in regard to black patients.
“There are these terrible disparities between black working people and white working people, and so, you know, there’s so many people that are doing such good work with the advocacy, and policy side of things we are really just looking at the data, and trying to highlight hospitals that are doing a really great job,” Ph.D., Health Data Scientist Jennifer Winston said.
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Phillips says you have to advocate for yourself when medical services are needed and for a continued push for health equity for all people.
“We just need more things than access to be able to be able to be within the community and understand that we are overcoming some things better as they are better, but we still have a long way to go,” she said.
Phillips also says that community-based involvement is needed to improve coordination between health and social care providers.
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