Have you heard the current White House administration’s statements and actions, been keeping up with the current motions made in Congress, or even watched the news once or twice a week? Then you’ve probably heard the acronym DEI. DEI is an acronym that stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Nicquel Terry Ellis from CNN defines diversity in her article “What is DEI, and why is it dividing America?” as, “embracing the differences everyone brings to the table,” equity as, “treating everyone fairly and providing equal opportunities,” and inclusion as, “respecting everyone’s voice and creating a culture in which people from all backgrounds feel encouraged.” Here’s some background on DEI’s presence in America. DEI initiatives track all the way back to the 20th century. For example, Dominique Hollins, founder of the DEI consulting firm WĒ360, told CNN, “The origins of DEI programs date to the Civil Rights Movement, which played a pivotal role in accelerating efforts to create more diverse and inclusive workspaces.”
Pieces of legislation that were presented in the 20th century that promote DEI include Roosevelt’s Executive Order 8802, which forbade racial discrimination in all defense industries. This order marked one of the very first government-mandated diversity efforts. To give another example of legislation from the 20th century that promotes DEI, I have to mention the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This act outlawed discrimination against individuals based on their religion, color, gender, or race. This act also successfully established a legal basis for inclusion in the workplace and in education. By the 1990s, diversity management started to be recognized beyond conformity. In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed. This act not only expanded ongoing inclusion efforts made to protect those with disabilities, but it also guaranteed equal access to public spaces and employment, as well as completely outlawing discrimination towards individuals with disabilities, effectively changing America’s perception of those with disabilities, in turn changing the lives of disabled Americans for the better.
So, what does DEI have to do with healthcare? Well, oftentimes, incongruities in healthcare treatments, access, and results affect marginalized communities more than the general population. The presence of DEI in healthcare protects high-quality care, no matter the patient’s gender, economic status, race, or any other demographic aspect. Because DEI actions in healthcare directly work to resolve these imbalances, DEI plays a key role in fostering an effective, trustworthy, welcoming environment in healthcare centers across the nation. Let’s talk about what these “incongruities” in the American healthcare system look like, how they’ve been affecting everyday Americans, and how DEI initiatives can help them solve the inequalities they’re facing.
According to Maya Goldman’s “High maternity costs hit Black and Hispanic patients hardest: study” on Axios, Black mothers in the United States have a pregnancy-related death rate more than three times higher than white mothers. Approximately 80% of these deaths could have been prevented, using the removal of untrue beliefs about biological differences in pain tolerance, creating and implementing equitable health policies that target social determinants of health affecting Black mothers, and overall, these deaths could’ve been prevented if DEI-focused plans of action were put in place to create an environment that is capable of acknowledging the unique challenges that not only Black mothers face, but all people face.
Here’s another example: According to KFF, as of 2022, Hispanic individuals had an uninsured rate of 18%, and nonelderly American Indians and Alaska Native (AIAN) individuals had an uninsured rate of 19%. In comparison, the uninsured rate of White individuals is at 7%. This incongruity between rates of uninsurance can be caused by many different factors. To name a few, cultural and linguistic barriers, lower levels of health literacy amongst members of those specific marginalized groups, and socioeconomic factors like employment and income all contribute to the unequal percentage of uninsured members of marginalized communities, compared to the percentage of uninsured White individuals. DEI actions play a super huge role in bridging coverage gaps, which in turn decreases the number of uninsured individuals who are members of marginalized groups. Some of the DEI actions that can help do this include establishing culturally tailored outreach programs that would increase health literacy and make available health insurance options known to the members of these marginalized groups, hiring medical professionals from underrepresented communities so that trust and communication between medical professionals and patients will improve, and instituting DEI actions that help individuals address differences in socioeconomic factors and education. All of these DEI initiatives not only reduce uninsured rates, but they also create inclusive healthcare environments that respect all backgrounds.
All of this to say, the presence of DEI does so much to help everyday Americans, especially in healthcare. No two people, not only in America but across the world, are exactly the same. No two people have the exact same pain tolerance, no two people have the exact same level of health literacy, or experience accessing healthcare in the United States. The United States of America is regarded internationally as a melting pot, chock-full of different cultures, opinions, ethnicities, and experiences. Shouldn’t a nation with such a rich, diverse population have a multitude of health resources that reflect its nature?
Alanna Logan
Awesome!! Very well written and informative.