💥KAPOW! NEW STUDY BUSTS BLACK PREGNANT WOMEN BEING TESTED MORE FOR DRUG USE💊

Da new study wen publish in da JAMA Health Forum show dat black women who get pregnant stay more likely fo get tested for drugs den da white women, even if dey no use drugs before🤰🏿. Da study wen look at da electronic medical records of 37,860 patients inside one health care system in Pennsylvania from March 2018 to June 2021, and find out dat black women stay less likely fo test positive for drugs, even though dey stay tested more. Da researchers wen conclude dat da only explanation fo dis is because of racial bias📊.

Dis study stay happening inside one national conversation about da racism in healthcare dat wen start because da Covid-19 pandemic wen affect communities of color da most👩🏿‍⚕️. Da study authors suggest dat hospitals need fo check dea drug testing practices fo fix da racial bias and make sure dat everyone get da same access to healthcare👨🏽‍🔬.

Even though more black women wen say dat dey use drugs before, mostly cannabis, dis stay not enough fo explain da results. Black women get da highest chance fo get urine tests during delivery, no matta if dey use drugs before💉. Even fo da women who no use drugs before, da black women still more likely fo get tested. 7% of black women with no substance use history stay tested, compared to 4.7% of white women🧪.

Hospitals test fo drugs during pregnancy fo make sure dat da care stay safe fo da babies affected by drugs during pregnancy, and dis stay da regulation from da state and federal government. Da study found out dat da history of drug use no can explain da results🤔. All da patients who come fo give birth stay asked questions about drugs, based on da quick verbal screening test from da National Institute on Drug Abuse. If dey answer “yes” to any of da questions, den dey stay supposed to get urine tests. If dey get positive results from da screening, history of substance use before giving birth, only a few prenatal visits, or if da baby get one bad birth outcome without one clear medical reason, den dey get urine tests📝.

Da authors of da study wen tell da hospitals fo check dea drug testing policies fo eliminate any racial biases👩🏻‍⚕️. Marian Jarlenski, one associate professor of health policy and management from da University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health and da first author of da paper, wen say dat “Any given clinician may not be thinking about bias, but when you look at these kinds of data, you can see there is no other explanation.”

Dr. Alison Stuebe, one professor of obstetrics and gynecology from da University of North Carolina, wen say dat da study stay “a clear illustration of disparate care” and “this study is one example of how provider behavior causes Black women to distrust the healthcare system”💻.

Da findings from da study stay very concerning and show dat healthcare providers need to work on combating da racism inside medicine. Black women stay already getting less access to healthcare and higher maternal mortality rates, and excessive drug testing only make da problem worse.

Dr. Stuebe stay saying dat dis study’s results no surprise anybody who know about da historical and current racial biases inside healthcare. She stay emphasizing how important it stay fo listen to Black women and work to build trust wit da communities of color.

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NOW IN ENGLISH

💥BOOM! NEW STUDY REVEALS BLACK PREGNANT WOMEN BEING TESTED MORE FOR DRUG USE💊

According to a new study published in the JAMA Health Forum, black women who deliver babies are more likely to be tested for drugs than their white counterparts, regardless of their drug history🤰🏿. The study, which analyzed the electronic medical records of 37,860 patients in a Pennsylvania healthcare system between March 2018 and June 2021, found that black women were less likely to test positive for drugs despite being tested more frequently. Researchers concluded that racial bias was the only explanation for this disparity📊.

This study comes amid a national conversation on systemic racism in healthcare, triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic’s disproportionate impact on communities of color👩🏿‍⚕️. The study’s authors suggest that hospitals examine their drug testing practices to address racial biases and encourage the medical community to take proactive steps to ensure equal access to care👨🏽‍🔬.

Although more black women reported prior drug use, mainly cannabis, the difference did not fully explain the results. Black women had the highest probability of undergoing urine tests at delivery, regardless of their prior drug use💉. Even among women with no history of drug use, black women were more likely to be tested, with 7% of black patients with no history of substance use being tested compared to 4.7% of white patients🧪.

Hospitals screen for drug use during pregnancy to comply with federal and state regulations for safe care for infants affected by substance use during pregnancy. The study found that substance use history could not fully explain the results🤔. All patients entering the labor and delivery department were screened verbally for substance use, with questions adapted from the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s quick verbal screening test. The policy called for running urine toxicology tests on patients with a positive result from the screening test, a history of substance use in the year before delivery, few prenatal visits, or a poor birth outcome without a clear medical explanation📝.

The authors of the study have urged hospitals to examine their drug testing policies to eliminate any potential racial biases👩🏻‍⚕️. “Any given clinician may not be thinking about bias, but when you look at these kinds of data, you can see there is no other explanation,” said Marian Jarlenski, an associate professor of health policy and management at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health and the paper’s first author👩🏻‍🔬.

Dr. Alison Stuebe, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of North Carolina, who was not involved in the research, stated that the study is “a clear illustration of disparate care” and that “this study is one example of how provider behavior causes Black women to distrust the healthcare system”💻.

The findings of the study are deeply concerning and highlight the need for healthcare providers to address and combat systemic racism in medicine. Black women already face significant health disparities and maternal mortality rates, and excessive drug testing only exacerbates these issues.

Dr. Stuebe noted that the results of the study are not surprising, given the historical and ongoing racial biases in healthcare. She stressed the importance of listening to Black women and working to build trust with communities of color.

👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️ Healthcare providers have a responsibility to examine their practices and ensure that they are providing equitable care to all patients, regardless of race. This includes re-evaluating drug testing policies and working to combat implicit biases.

As the conversation around racial disparities in healthcare continues, it is essential to prioritize the needs and concerns of marginalized communities. Black women deserve access to the same high-quality care as their white counterparts, and it is up to healthcare providers and policymakers to make this a reality.

The authors of the study hope that their findings will prompt healthcare providers to take a closer look at their practices and work towards addressing the racial biases that exist within the medical system. It is only through acknowledging and addressing these issues that we can hope to achieve true equity in healthcare.

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In conclusion, the study’s findings are alarming and highlight the pervasive impact of racial bias in healthcare. It is essential for healthcare providers to take a hard look at their practices and work towards creating a more equitable system. By listening to and valuing the experiences and concerns of Black women, we can begin to address the systemic racism that exists within the medical field and work towards a more just and equitable future for all.