Since the start of the United States, Black women have experienced marginalization where their needs have continuously not been taken seriously. From enslaved Black women being used as experiments to systemic racism in Gynecology, Black women have been mistreated by the medical system. Even today, this demographic has the highest maternal death rate than any other ethnic or racial group. Black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women (CDC, 2018). The health disparities between Black women and all other demographics in the US are disproportionally high, especially in maternal health. Disparities in maternal health can be defined as the imbalance in access of resources, for example prenatal care. This health crisis has harmful effects on Black women. From 2018-2020, the maternal death rate of Black women has increased from 37.3 to 55.3 per 100,000 live births, 2.9 times higher than that of White women (Hoyert, 2022) Many people are unaware of the disproportionate number of Black women who die due to negligence and lack of care. In this study, we are doing a thorough review of previous literature to explore research on Black women’s interactions with healthcare professionals when seeking maternal care in order to bring awareness to the issue and learn more about programs and interventions in healthcare to reduce systemic racism and improve the care this demographic receives.

Background: African American (AA) women are 17.2 times more likely to be living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) than white women. Medical mistrust is a barrier to seeking medical care and adhering to treatment, generally, and has been associated with reduced HIV testing among AA people. However, in our team’s research, we found that medical mistrust was associated with increased frequency of testing among at-risk AA women. Objectives: (1) To explore the unexpected negative correlation between medical mistrust and HIV testing among AA women in our sample through qualitative interviews. (2) To identify participants’ preferences for interventions to increase uptake of HIV testing. Methods: Fourteen qualitative interviews were conducted with AA women at risk for HIV in Northern Nevada. Thematic analysis identified commonalities and themes. Analysis was conducted in NVivo qualitative software. Results (Preliminary): While some did endorse some level of medical mistrust, the women in our sample did not believe there is a causal association between medical mistrust and HIV testing (or receipt of other healthcare services). Most women reported receiving medical care and testing when needed, despite any feelings of discrimination or mistrust, because they prioritize their health. There were no responses that fortified the idea that medical mistrust would have an impact on HIV testing among this community. In terms of interventions to increase uptake of HIV testing, the women reported a varying set of preferences on settings, attendees, and gathering sizes. However, they consistently reported that they would prefer more casual conversation formats.

Abstract COVID-19 has significantly highlighted the disparities between racial and ethinic groups. There is a long history of exploitation of minority communities, specifically the Black community, at the hands of the US Healthcare system. The historic use of redlining and gerrymandering have made it easy to target communities of lower socioeconomic status; In light of this , it is important to look at how covid-19 has impacted those who belong to low-income , and low socioeconomic status. The purpose of this study is to exhibit how environmental injustices are a breeding ground for zoonotic diseases, while using the COVID-19 virus. There are many disparities between the Black community and white community that contribute to the increase in different diseases within the Black community such as diabetes, cancers, etc. Because of redlining, minority families are forced to move into multigenerational homes, which leaves “quarantine/isolation” out of the question. Additionally, most minority populations are blue-collar workers, leaving them without the option to work remotely ,forcing them to encounter the virus. . Also, because of redlining, most black communities are located in poor environments. Nuclear power plants, food- deserts, and landfills pollute the air, causing a decline in respiratory health, thus making the Black community susceptible to the virus. All of these factors lead to increased mortality rates in the Black community in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.