Just Medicine: A Cure for Racial Inequality in American Health Care

Discuss Matthew’s argument that implicit biases are malleable. What interventions reduce these biases, and how can they be implemented effectively to address The Role of Implicit Bias in Healthcare Disparities?

In what ways does Matthew suggest that the healthcare system’s structural constraints limit the effectiveness of individual efforts to address health disparities? How does her proposal for overcoming these limitations speak to The Systemic Challenge in Addressing Implicit Bias?

Describe the role that institutions and social systems play in reinforcing racial and ethnic stereotypes in healthcare in Just Medicine. How can these systems be disrupted? Cite specific examples from the text to support your argument.

Analyze Matthew’s critique of the narrow focus on black and white racial dynamics in research on health disparities. How does she propose addressing the complexity of overlapping patient characteristics?

Examine the relationship between physicians’ unconscious biases and patients’ reactions, as analyzed in Just Medicine. How does this feedback loop contribute to worsening health disparities?

How is pain management central to understanding the intersection of clinical uncertainty and racial bias in healthcare in Just Medicine? Discuss the implications of Matthew’s findings.

Why does Matthew ultimately rely on legal reforms, such as changes to Title VI, in her effort to address the prevalence of unconscious racism in healthcare? Discuss any other options that institutions could adopt to address this issue, citing specific examples from the text to support your argument.

Based on the information that Matthew provides in Just Medicine, does it seem possible to eradicate systemic discrimination that leads to health disparities? Why or why not?