Hidden Barriers

After the resurgence of Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, many declared racism a public health crisis. So what exactly does that mean?

Medical research in the U.S. has a dark history, particularly when it comes to the Black community. This has led to many in communities of color to distrust the institution of medicine. Crosscut investigates what that means for research and treatment, and why representation matters when it comes to clinical studies.

Diversity at U.S. medical schools has barely inched forward in the past 40 years, and underrepresented students still face countless barriers to getting a medical degree. Crosscut investigates the roadblocks to access, progress and what Washington schools are trying to do about it.

In Washington state, as with much of the country, physician demographics don't reflect the communities they serve, which leads to worse outcomes for patients. Unfortunately, at the rate things are progressing, experts say we may never have a physician pool truly representative of the general population.

Asian Americans are perceived as the "model minority:" wealthier, better educated and healthier than other minority groups. But this preconception hides many health disparities, in some cases worse than those of any other racial group.

Washington mandates language access services for patients who speak limited English, but lack of oversight means many fall through the cracks.

Racial bias manifests in myriad ways in the healthcare system and often leads to patients getting less or lower quality care.

A year into the pandemic, low-income people of color are still struggling to afford and access health care.