The case of Black, Latino, and Mexican women being given unfair treatment during childbirth because of the social aspects generated by systemic bias and inequality is a crucial example of relevance in developing our skills in critical analysis to be able to change our lenses of perception. This placing of the evaluation within a historically comparative perspective not only illuminates just how deeply racial and ethnic inequalities within healthcare are ingrained but highlights the possibilities for change fostered through critical analysis in both the personal and professional domains as well (Sutton et al., 2021).
The American healthcare system has perpetuated persistent inequalities biased in history towards certain racial minorities or ethnic groups, most impressively, women of color in childbirth. Studies and reports have documented that Black, Latino, and Mexican women continue to sustain higher rates of maternal mortality, morbidity, and substandard care compared to their white counterparts (MacDorman et al., 2021). It is not an aberration but a continuing crisis that speaks to systemic and community biases. Critically looking at this issue has transformed my perception framework drastically. I learned that these differences were not accidental or did not occur due to the individual cases, but they existed on a structural line relating to the historical framework within which people used inequality and discrimination as tools. Discovering this fact changed my perspective on the community and the world, bringing into focus that, saliently, there needs to be a change in the structural level or the system if anything meaningful is to happen to the deeply embedded issues.
Reflections on biases have been one of the critical components of changing the perception of the world. This has been a truly enlightening experience, realizing that I, like anyone else, could be subjected to unconscious biases, which can influence relationships and processes. This self-awareness has driven a more empathetic and inclusive perspective, particularly on how the biases in society can be translated to care practices and, in the process, determine the outcome for women of color in terms of their health. Realizing that such biases can be personal and a part of the broader system has caused me to engage more critically information and commit myself to being an advocate for equality and justice in healthcare, as well as other areas.
Suppose such a crucial critical wellness analysis can be properly understood, as linked with a discussion and comprehension of disparities in maternal health care related to race and ethnicity. In that case, the implications for the academic and professional world will be huge. First, it is an excellent input into the premises of public health, medicine as a whole, and social sciences, leaving it to future professionals and researchers to analyze the multidimensional consequences of the outcomes impacted by bias and discrimination. In this view, critical engagement provides a way through which innovative solutions emerge that tackle the symptoms of disparities rather than the root causes. For instance, in public health, the analysis leads to developing proper care models and policies to reduce maternal mortality amongst minority groups based on their culture (Bridges, 2020). It further highlights the importance of interdisciplinary approaches attached to early, current, and upcoming social, medical, and historical periods for comprehensive wellness.
Moreover, a critical historical inquiry into wellness might reveal knowledge that will steer the next big surge of research across all of the other subjects, such as how digital health technologies might optimally be applied to bridge access and quality-of-care voids for disenfranchised populations. It will kindle forth a new generation of leaders who possess the skills in their respective disciplines, are socially responsible, and advocate for equity and inclusivity.
In conclusion, my historical analysis of the mistreatment Black, Latino, and Mexican women received in childbirth has, therefore, critically kinesthetically elucidated my own perception, indicating systemic change. It has created a distinct focus on personal reflection, and it has revealed how biases have significant ramifications for understanding wellness disparities that can change academic and professional practices to a more equitable and just approach to healthcare.
References
Bridges, K. M. (2020). Racial disparities in maternal mortality. NYUL Rev., 95, 1229.
MacDorman, M. F., Thoma, M., Declcerq, E., & Howell, E. A. (2021). Racial and ethnic disparities in maternal mortality in the United States using enhanced vital records, 2016‒2017. American journal of public health, 111(9), 1673-1681.
Sutton, M. Y., Anachebe, N. F., Lee, R., & Skanes, H. (2021). Racial and ethnic disparities in reproductive health services and outcomes, 2020. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 137(2), 225.
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