Humanism in Health and Healthcare

Please read the report authored by Roberta Spalter-Roth, Terri Ann Lowenthal, and Mercedes Rubio and sponsored by the American Sociological Association, which explores persistent race/ethnic disparities in health. While the report is from 2005, these disparities have persisted to the present day. Moreover, similar disparities can be seen across race/ethnic strata in countries around the world, with marginalized race/ethnic groups consistently experiencing worse health. Many of these issues have structural roots. That is, they are rooted in macro-level social structures in ways that might seem relatively immutable from the standpoint of the individual practitioner. As you read, however, think about how knowledge of these disparities might inform your clinical practice, the questions you raise, the ways you set up your office/unit and train your staff, etc.