Race, Racism, and American Medicine

Award Year: 1999	Investigator: Vanessa Northington Gamble	Budget: $77,324	Categories: Food Policy, End of Life Care
Abstract: Dr. Gamble examines the relationship of African Americans to the U.S. medical system in the twentieth century. She explores: 1) historical and continuing influences of race and racism on the development of American medicine; 2) how concepts of race and interpretations of racial differences have evolved and their implications in contemporary medical practices and health policy; 3) how racial attitudes influence medical theory and practice, and the resulting impact on racial attitudes; 4) strategies and institutions that are available to African Americans to address medical inequities; 5) the experiences and contributions of African American health care providers; and 6) the experiences of African American patients. The results of her work will help inform the policy debate about racial inequalities in health care.