A young woman faces her first pregnancy. One of her elders is coping with drug addiction, or maybe a sibling is overweight. Her best friend is encountering mental health challenges.
These are among examples of numerous real-life scenarios.
Concerns for unbiased health care for all people are being addressed in Saginaw, and 10 other counties, via the Health Department’s BWell state-funded Health Equity Council.
Saginaw’s group, formed two years ago during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, is releasing a report May 14 that goes beyond statistics with focus-group dialogues and individual stories.
“Plan updates are nothing new,” said Christina Harrington, Health Department CEO. “But at the same time, we always are seeking new approaches. This is a living document with issues that merit ongoing action, not a report that will gather dust on an office shelf.”
Dr. Delicia Pruitt, medical director, added, “Disparities exist not only for ethnic minorities, but for other groups who may encounter bias and unequal treatment in the health care system. These concerns are nationwide and far from original to the Saginaw region, and we aim to serve as a leader in pursuing solutions.”
To summarize key findings in the 88-page report:
- Diversity is essential, both in hiring and in ongoing training, so that patients and clients will encounter medical professionals with shared and familiar backgrounds.
- Community outreach not only must inform hard-to-reach population segments, but also must correct increasing misinformation from social media. Opinions are opinions but facts are facts.
- Each individual story and outlook is unique, as reflected in the testimonials, but individuals need information, both for ongoing support and in emergency situations. Some still do not know where to call, a shortcoming in particular among minority populations with communication barriers and systemic mistrust.
The storytelling pairs with the statistics for a document that breaks new ground, said Terry Pruitt, Saginaw NAACP branch president, who took a leading role in the process.
“The methodology emphasizes personal experiences,” Pruitt explained. “Any reader, from a doctor or nurse to a social worker or everyday citizen, will learn scenarios that go beyond statistics.”
Joyce Seals has served as coordinator and chairwoman of the Health Equity Council during the first two years. She is a former Saginaw mayor and a current Board of Education trustee. Her husband, Dr. Eugene Seals, is a retired family physician and their daughter, Dr. Pruitt, followed in her father’s footsteps before she became the Health Department’s medical director.
Seals says she took on the challenge of organizing the Equity Council, even when already managing a full civic schedule, because healthcare is so integral in her personal surroundings.
She concluded, “Going forward, the Health Equity Council will need the support and assistance of many others to accomplish our worthwhile mission.”
