Against the grain: examining the experiences of white healthcare providers involved in racial justice work

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, racialized people in the United States faced devastating health outcomes. However, the disastrous fissures in the healthcare system predated the 2020 COVID-19 healthcare crisis. Prior research demonstrates that Black people outpace all other groups for inequitable health outcomes, and Black providers are under-represented in healthcare. While there has been some research around interventions, much of the research chronicles the inequities and implicates structural and interpersonal white supremacy and racism in healthcare. There is a gap in the literature around white healthcare providers involved in racial justice efforts. This qualitative Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis situates health inequities for Black people within the historical and contemporary context of white supremacy and racism. It examines the experiences of 22 white healthcare providers involved in racial justice work. Findings demonstrate three key themes: The omnipresence of racism and white supremacy in healthcare; anti-racism (racial justice worker) identity development; and reconciling racism and white supremacy in healthcare. The findings have implications for healthcare leadership, education, research, policy, and practice. The findings also have critical relevance for those invested in racial justice work in healthcare.