Centering Black Women’s Voices: Illuminating Systemic Racism in Maternal Healthcare Experiences

Carla Brailey and Brittany C. Slatton ()
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Carla Brailey: Department of Sociology, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX 77004, USA
Brittany C. Slatton: Department of Sociology, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX 77004, USA

Societies, 2024, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-12

Abstract: The racial disparity in Black maternal healthcare outcomes in the U.S. reflects the devastating impact of systemic racism embedded within the healthcare system. This study addresses Black maternal health by centering Black women’s perspectives to illuminate how systemic barriers, racism, and unequal care manifest in their maternal health experiences. We conducted six focus group discussions with 27 Black women in Harris County, Texas, an area with an alarmingly high Black maternal mortality rate. The analysis revealed three main themes: (1) institutional barriers to equitable maternal care, (2) inequitable clinical care and provider–patient interactions, and (3) navigating experiences of everyday interpersonal racism. The women’s narratives provide insights into how systemic factors such as racism and unjust policies compromise the pursuit of optimal maternal care. By centering their situated knowledge, we can understand and develop solutions that emerge directly from the lived realities of this community.

Keywords: systemic racism; Black maternal health; maternal health disparities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 A14 P P0 P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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