Updated: Sep. 12, 2017
A recent study reveals that racial bias continues to permeate healthcare, even affecting our most fragile citizens — newborns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Conducted by a team at the Stanford University School of Medicine and published by the Academy of American Pediatrics, this report underscores a grim reality: the quality of care for very low-birth-weight infants varies significantly based on race. The findings suggest that babies of color, particularly Hispanic and African-American infants, receive subpar care compared to their white counterparts.
The researchers analyzed data from nearly 19,000 babies across 134 NICU units in California, representing 90% of the state’s NICUs. These infants were all born between 2010 and 2014, and the researchers focused on how the quality of care differed by race using the Baby-Monitor index. This index evaluates nine critical components of care, including maternal steroid administration, infection rates, and whether the infants received timely eye exams or breast milk.
The results were stark. White and Asian-American babies received the best quality of care, while African-American infants fell slightly behind. Alarmingly, Hispanic babies and those classified as “other” (including Native American and Alaskan Native) had the lowest quality of care scores overall. The researchers noted, “Significant racial and/or ethnic differences in quality between and within NICUs are a troubling finding.”
While some NICUs bucked this trend and provided better care for African-American and Hispanic babies, the overall pattern showed that as the proportion of these backgrounds increased in a NICU, the quality of care tended to decline. Dr. Mark Thompson, a co-author of the study, pointed out that African-American and Hispanic mothers were less likely to receive vital steroids during pregnancy, which are essential for their premature infants’ lung health. Additionally, these babies often missed out on crucial eye exams and breastfeeding support, and were more susceptible to hospital-acquired infections.
This is a deeply unsettling reality that should disturb us all. The race of a newborn should never influence the kind of critical care they receive. These are tiny, vulnerable lives that deserve the best possible start.
So, what can be done? The researchers suggest that providing NICUs with feedback on disparity scores could be an effective first step toward addressing these inequalities. In simpler terms, healthcare providers need to recognize and confront the prevalence of racism in healthcare systems and take immediate action.
It’s crucial for all of us to educate ourselves about these disparities, regardless of whether we work directly with children. We must acknowledge that we share a diverse nation and commit to treating each other with the respect and dignity we all deserve — especially our most vulnerable citizens. For those interested in learning more about pregnancy-related issues, resources like this guide on pregnancy can be invaluable.
In summary, the Stanford study reveals troubling racial disparities in NICU care, with minority infants receiving significantly lower quality treatment compared to white infants. This calls for urgent action from healthcare providers and society as a whole to address and rectify these inequities, ensuring that every newborn has the chance for a healthy start.