Why We Need Action
The four women pictured to the right were world-class elite athletes who achieved the incredible feat of running the second fastest 4x100 relay ever, earning them a Gold Medal at the 2016 Olympics.
Looking at their victorious pose, I'm struck by the contrast between that moment of triumph and the battles they've since faced. Tianna Madison and Allyson Felix, two of the four champions, encountered life-threatening health problems linked to pregnancy-related complications. Tragically, a third champion, Tori Bowie, lost her life in 2023 due to similar complications. These conditions, known as pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, are associated with high blood pressure during pregnancy and can have devastating consequences for both mother and child.
Their story is a call to action for all in healthcare, and you as a potential patient.
As we honor Tori Bowie's memory and stand with Tianna Madison and Allyson Felix, let their stories fuel our determination. Let them remind us why achieving health equity is so crucial, why every voice raised in self-advocacy matters. In the ER every second counts in saving a life. Every voice, of both providers and patients, is needed with Olympic-level determination. Let me share the numbers, which unfortunately show their experiences are not an isolated or rare event.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 19: English Gardner, Allyson Felix, Tianna Bartoletta and Tori Bowie of the United States celebrate winning gold in the Women's 4 x 100m Relay Final on Day 14 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 19, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
According to 2020 data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Black women in the United States had a 2.9 times higher likelihood of dying during or after childbirth compared to other racial groups. After bleeding and infections following childbirth, complications tied to high blood pressure round out the top three causes of high mortality (death) rates in Black women.
But there is more. A 2023 study found that Black mothers from high socioeconomic backgrounds have a higher maternal mortality rate compared to white mothers from low-income backgrounds. This shocking discovery highlights that ethnic differences in maternal health outcomes exist regardless of economic status. As the CDC noted, many causes and proposed solutions exist for the high death rates in childbirth for Black women in the US.
These differences in illness and death are called disparities, and they are caused by inequalities in social determinants of health. These disparities underscore the lack of equity and the fundamental right of everyone to attain their best possible health.
This graphic illustrates the upstream-to-downstream pathway showing how health inequities lead to health disparities. It demonstrates how social inequities (including race/ethnicity and gender) influence living conditions, which in turn affect risk behaviors, ultimately leading to disease, injury, and mortality outcomes.
So where do we begin? While we may not have immediate control over all aspects of our lives, there's one powerful tool always at our disposal: your voice! This is where self-advocacy comes into play, and it's the core of what this site is about.
In a world where health equity remains an urgent need, learning to be seen and heard in healthcare settings is not just a skill, it's a necessity. It's a form of personal activism that can lead to better health outcomes and contribute to broader systemic change. Let's get started together.
