Umbilical Hernias: Systemic Racism, Dogma, And Pediatric Surgery

by Stephanie Preston, MD In the health professions, we have all been taught that some of the most common, chronic, and debilitating diseases in the United States – hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and most cancers – disproportionately affect Black Americans. As resident surgeons, dogma holds that umbilical hernias are more prevalent in Black children, but without any discussion about underlying drivers. There is no evidence to support that this disparity is related to biologic or genetic differences. However, a recently published study continues to state that umbilical hernias are 8-9x more prevalent among Black children in the United States, and that “degree of African ancestry” is a contributing factor.…
Source: blog.bioethics.net - Category: Medical Ethics Authors: Tags: Children/Adolescents Ethics Featured Posts Health Care Health Disparities Pediatrics Source Type: blogs