Home » Health » Discrimination in healthcare: ‘The doctor asked my white friend how I was doing’ – Radar

Discrimination in healthcare: ‘The doctor asked my white friend how I was doing’ – Radar

The National Coordinator against Discrimination and Racism, Rabin Baldewsingh, wants a broad study into the extent of discrimination in Dutch healthcare. He said that on Sunday evening in Pointer (KRO-NCRV) on NPO Radio 1.

He makes this recommendation in response to a report by the Pharos expertise center that recorded a number of harrowing stories of people who have experienced discrimination in healthcare. ‘I am shocked by this, this touches me deeply’, says Baldewsingh.

Mental and physical complaints

Patients with a migration background experience a different treatment because of their skin colour, origin or religion than patients without a migration background. They more often feel not taken seriously and this can affect both mental and physical health. An increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes are possible consequences.

Santoecha Rangai was born in the Netherlands and has parents of Surinamese-Hindustani descent. In her treatment for breast cancer, she found herself being treated differently because of her skin color. “When my boyfriend and I got to the oncologist, he greeted me. He then turned directly to my white friend to ask how I was doing,” Rangai said. ‘Then I thought ‘yes hello, I’m still here’. It really gave me the feeling that as a woman of color I couldn’t save myself, that he thought my friend was my interpreter.’

Pharos researcher Tessa van Loenen explains that discrimination can make people even sicker. ‘The stress that discrimination produces can cause additional physical complaints such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and elevated blood pressure. This makes care even sicker.’

Care avoidance

According to Baldewsingh, the discrimination leads to people with a migration background avoiding care. ‘That means not only that they don’t receive the care they should receive, but also that they run the risk of long-term illness or death.’

Around this summer, the coordinator will offer the cabinet a longer-term national program to combat discrimination and racism. The theme of discrimination in healthcare will be given a prominent place in this.

Bron: Pointer

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