Black women are twice as likely as White women to die from a pregnancy-related condition, according to last year’s Maternal Mortality in Illinois Report.
That report also found 91% of those deaths were preventable.
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The new documentary “The Fight for Black Lives” chronicles the stories of Black mothers who faced racial inequities in the health care system. The film comes as Gov. J.B. Pritzker is proposing $4 million dollars in his new budget proposal aimed at addressing the issue.
After researching the topic, University of Chicago professor Micere Keels decided to create the documentary as a way to get the message out. She highlights racial biases that lead to disparities in care.
“Unfortunately, it’s still implicitly taught in medical school that Black people are much more tolerant to pain,” she said. “Also ideas that darker skin is tougher, and so it can handle more in this process.”
Dr. Sameer Vohra, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, said that Pritzker’s proposal would include child tax credits, a $1 million increase in support for reproductive health facilities, home visiting programs, a diaper distribution program and more.
As part of that same effort, $4 million would then go to the Department of Public Health “…to think about a cross government action plan to help address these disparities, as well as provide birth equity resource grants to community based providers to really think about this as a community driven issue,” Vohra said.
Beyond dollars and programs, Keels says one way to start reaching better outcomes is by providing Black patients with Black doctors.
“If I’m able to see you and your humanity and empathize with you, I’m more likely to react quicker rather than watching this clinical case unfold at a distance from me in a way,” she said “And so that’s a piece of it.”
The film is currently being screened at film festivals. Watch a trailer below.