When cared for by white doctors, Black newborns are more likely to die
The mortality rate of Black newborns plunges when they are cared for by Black doctors
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFDoctor with a stethoscope in the hands and hospital background (illustrative)(photo credit: INGIMAGE)
A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that when cared for by a white doctor, Black newborns are three times more likely to die soon after birth compared to the National average.The team of researchers from several US institutions studied birth records of approximately two million babies and analyzed the race of their doctors, according to Medical Press.The study showed that Black newborns cared for by a white doctor die at a much higher rate than the national average for all newborn deaths.The mortality rate plunges when Black newborns are cared for by Black doctors. In those cases, the mortality rate is 58% better, but still higher than the national average.The study found that the differences in death rates correlate more strongly in complicated deliveries and in hospitals where a higher number of Black newborns are delivered.
