According to a study published in Pediatrics, “black children are less likely to receive a prescription antibiotic than their non-black counterparts.” This finding holds true even in instances where black children are treated by the same health provider. This study, which was based on “1.3 million doctor visits with the same 222 providers” is a depiction of what is referred to as “racial biases among health professionals.”
“Our goal has always been to find ways to improve antibiotic prescribing for children,” says study author Dr. Jeffrey S. Gerber, who is also assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine’s Division of Infectious Diseases. “These analyses [then] revealed the differences in prescribing by race.” Although, what this study has uncovered may not be a negative. In the age of antibiotic overprescribing and the fear that unnecessary antibiotics later lead to “superbugs” that are too strong to treat, this may in fact be a good thing.
In light of this study while parents may be concerned that their children are not receiving appropriate medical care it is believed that there may be a positive in that black children may not be receiving unnecessary antibiotics as often. Even so, the fact that there is a notable difference in the kind of care our children are receiving is something that should be further explored.
Perhaps it is studies like this that remind parents of the importance of advocating for our children. As parents most often you know when something is not right when it comes to your child’s health. For more on this study visit theGrio.
BMWK — Why do you think our children are less likely to be prescribed prescription medication?
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