As a Black American woman, I often find my healthcare experiences to be more disheartening than beneficial. Many of my medical appointments have failed to address my health issues, leaving me to question whether the problem lies with me or if the system is deliberately designed this way. Historically, the pain of Black women has been dismissed. This troubling legacy manifests today in subtle yet significant ways. Frequently, doctors opt for medications that merely mask the symptoms rather than addressing the underlying causes, effectively applying a temporary fix. Even more concerning is that these medications often come with side effects that are not thoroughly discussed during doctors visit, which causes other health problems sometimes.
When I examine health statistics concerning Black women, I often find them to be ambiguous, inflated, or even biased. Despite the frequent discussions about “options,” it rarely seems that these choices facilitate genuine healing. At times, it appears that healthcare resembles a business model focused on fostering dependency on treatments rather than genuinely promoting health restoration. Take my experience with fibroids, for instance. During one of my appointments, I discovered that they had increased in size since my previous visit. However, I received no guidance on how lifestyle modifications or holistic approaches could potentially assist me. It wasn’t until I conducted my own research that I became aware of the implications fibroids could have on my life. Through this exploration, I uncovered connections between fibroids, anemia, and bloating—information that my healthcare providers had failed to communicate.
This makes me question: Should there be a shift in how healthcare approaches Black women’s health? Because what we have now doesn’t feel like enough. We don’t just need more options — we need better, more holistic ones. Ones that truly address root causes and empower us with knowledge, not just prescriptions. American black women shouldn’t have the highest “statistics” when it comes to health issues. That alone is an indication that there is medical bias and its not addressed enough. I have also noticed the quality of medication is not the same as it is in predominately white areas so its definately intentional.
American healthcare needs adjustments — not just for affordability, but for accountability, equity, and transparency. For Black women especially, the system has to do better.