Does the Health Care System Discriminate Against HIV-Positive African Americans?
Many HIV-positive African Americans report being happy with the quality of care they get from their doctors. Almost all of the folks in our Profiles in Courage section, for example, say they’re getting the best care possible. Sure, they’re mostly a group of empowered, informed HIVers, but they didn’t start out that way — they put in hard work and overcame high barriers to get there. Unfortunately, according to a pioneering report, “HIV/AIDS: A Minority Health Issue,” written by two leading HIV specialists, Dr. Victoria Cargill and Dr. Valerie Stone (both of whom are black), African-American people with HIV generally report being less satisfied with their HIV care than their white counterparts, particularly when it comes to communication with their doctor. Black HIVers more often say their provider doesn’t listen to them, doesn’t ask them the right questions and doesn’t give them the time or the information they need to make important treatment decisions. In short, plenty of HIV-positi
