We often place our trust in medical professionals, but it can be disheartening when they rush through appointments or dismiss our concerns. This is known as medical gaslighting, and it causes serious problems, including delayed diagnosis and treatment. A 2022 survey found 70% of Black women surveyed had been seen by a doctor who wasn’t listening to their concerns and 58% of Black women surveyed had a doctor who ignored or dismissed their symptoms. In this blog, we explore the frequency of medical gaslighting, its impact on our community, and provide practical tips on advocating - speaking up for yourself in healthcare.
Who Is Most Affected?
While medical gaslighting can happen to anyone, it disproportionately affects women and people of color. women of color often receive poorer quality of care, where doctors are more likely to consider Black patients to be “uncooperative” or even “non-compliant” when simply raising concerns (to read more about these studies, visit https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2021.01423). Women often face longer diagnostic delays and are more likely to be misdiagnosed with mental illnesses when their symptoms point to other conditions, such as heart disease. Furthermore, studies indicate that women receive less ICU admissions than men, despite having more severe illnesses. Disturbingly, a survey of American women revealed that a majority had experienced doctors who didn't listen to their concerns, with even higher percentages among Black women.
Causes and Contributing Factors
The historical exclusion of women from scientific research and the limited understanding of women's health contribute to medical gaslighting. Insufficient knowledge and the presence of institutional racism, gender biases, and cultural differences contribute to medical gaslighting. further perpetuate this issue. Healthcare providers must appreciate cultural variations and strive to understand symptoms beyond their own cultural frame of reference to avoid medical gaslighting.
Recognizing Medical Gaslighting
Warning signs of medical gaslighting include downplaying symptoms, interrupting patients, or dismissing their concerns. Additionally, attributing symptoms to mental illness without appropriate investigation or mental health care follow-up is another red flag. The essential element is invalidating a patient's concerns, making them feel as though their symptoms aren't real or significant enough for further examination.
Empowering Yourself
If you feel that your doctor isn't listening, remember that you have options to advocate for yourself. Here are five strategies to regain control of your healthcare:
Ask questions: Don't hesitate to ask questions about your diagnosis, treatment options, and potential side effects. This forces the doctor to slow down, explain their reasoning, and demonstrates their willingness to engage with you.
Track your symptoms: Maintaining a record of symptoms, such as changes in your menstrual cycle or skin appearance, can provide evidence to support your concerns and capture the attention of healthcare providers.
Attend annual checkups: Regular preventive care appointments help establish your baseline health and enable early detection of any abnormalities. Remember, you should be an active participant in these conversations, driving the discussion about your health.
Come prepared: Prepare a list of topics or questions you want to discuss during appointments. Consider having a supportive friend or family member accompany you to provide emotional support, ask questions, or take notes. Patient advocates can also assist in navigating appointments, billing, and insurance. Don’t know who they are? No problem; ask for them.
Trust your instincts and speak up: Trust your spirit - that feeling in your core - that tells you something is wrong or out of place - and bring up your concerns directly to your healthcare provider. If necessary, request a referral to a specialist or get a second opinion. If your provider consistently fails to take your concerns seriously and you live in the greater Des Moines, Iowa area, reach out to Black Women 4 Healthy Living to get their counsel and guidance on finding another provider.
Experiencing medical gaslighting can make the trust we already struggle to give anyone outside of our safe circles even harder to give when we’re seeing a medical professional. You and I know it - it sometimes makes the difference between going to check on a symptom or not. However, it’s crucial to recognize the signs, advocate for yourself, and take appropriate action when faced with dismissive or invalidating behavior. Remember, you always have the option of filing a complaint with the appropriate group that overlooks the medical practice you’re with, if it comes to that. Your last focus, Sister, should have to be justifying your symptoms or experiences while sitting vulnerable in front of your provider.
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