Empowering healthcare professionals with health equity courses

Research and history demonstrate the role of racism in health equity and health outcomes. From treatment practices to policies, Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities encounter roadblocks to equitable healthcare. This course will help you define the levels of racism that affect patient access and care, describe the impact of structural racism on health inequities, and highlight anti-racist practices, principles, and policies.

Bias is something we all have. Although bias is a natural means of understanding the world around us, research shows it works against the goal of health equity. This course will help you understand how bias plays a role in your ability to provide quality care to patients. The course will define bias and bias types and describe how they appear in healthcare settings; explain the relationship between racial bias and health inequities; and demonstrate strategies for reducing unconscious bias.

Social determinants of health are the environments in which people work, live, and play. However, these determinants are not always considered when patients seek care. Research demonstrates that directly addressing these determinants of health impacts patients' access to and quality of care. Through this course, you will increase your knowledge of the origin, influence, and impact of social determinants of health on health equity.

This course will explore inequities in perinatal and maternal health through the comparison of history and the current state of birth in the US. This course will describe barriers to equitable care, highlight the impact of racial discrimination on birthers and families, and explore a collaborative care model as a solution to achieving health equity.

Target Audience: Healthcare professionals who provide and/or research perinatal care, including advanced practice reproductive health care practitioners, OBGYNs, MFMs, RNS, NPs, neonatologists, pediatricians, nurse midwives, licensed midwives, public health researchers, lactation consultants, doulas, birth workers, receptionist, billing and coding staff, medical record departments, etc.

Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities are underrepresented in medicine, and even those in the community trying to obtain medical education often experience many barriers, primarily because of the social determinants of health. Additionally, Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities are underrepresented in training, research, and educational resources. Moreover, this contributes significantly to the gap in knowledge of proper and effective diagnosis, treatment, and management of common conditions on skin of color. Research suggests that structurally competent care practices can decrease this healthcare gap.