Racial disparity in health care is still an unfortunate unquestionable reality in 2023. No person of color is immune to, at some point, not receiving the same care as a non-person of color. Actress and mother of six, Angelina Jolie penned an op-ed for the American Journal of Nursing, saying that racial disparity in health care has even “endangered” her children of color.
“As the mother of children of multiple races, I have seen my children of color be misdiagnosed, at times in ways that endangered their health,” the humanitarian and filmmaker wrote.
She continued, “Reflecting personally, when my daughter Zahara, who is from Ethiopia, was hospitalized for a medical procedure, the nurse told me to call her ‘if she turns pink near her incisions,’” Jolie recalled. “I stood looking blankly at her, not sure she understood what was wrong with what she had said. When she left the room, I had a talk with my daughter, both of us knowing that we would have to look for signs of infection based on our own knowledge, not what the nurse had said, despite her undoubted good intentions.”
The purpose of the 48-year-old actress penning the op-ed was to discuss new technology that detects bruises on darker skin colors to better help domestic violence survivors. Jolie wrote about how the many faucets of the medical industry focus on white skin, resulting in the fact that some medical professionals “often miss injuries depending on race and ethnicity.”
The refugee advocate concluded her piece saying that, “From technology to improving diversity and representation in medical research and training, it is past time to embrace new solutions.”
And, we could not agree more!
Jolie’s six children include eldest son Maddox, whom she adopted from Cambodia. Zahara, whom she adopted from Ethiopia. Pax, whom she adopted from Vietnam. Jolie and ex-husband Brad Pitt also share three biological children: daughter Shiloh and twins Knox and Vivienne.
Photo Credit(s)/Featured Image: Getty Images/Angelina Jolie Instagram
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