Survey
I conducted a survey to gauge the sentiments that Black Torontonians have towards the healthcare system. There were 36 participants. Within the data, I recognized that many folks had similar answers to the question “How can your needs be better served by the healthcare system?”. Many include topics related to:
- The need for adequate and mandatory anti-Black racism training
- Abolishing the idea that Black folks are inherently strong/do not feel pain
- Hiring more Black healthcare professionals
- Accessible and public race-based data
- Mental health services catered to Black folks
Pulled Quotes
“By the government collecting race based data and providing mandatory training on anti-Blackness. In order for the system to work 'better' the problem needs to first be acknowledged.”
“Believing Black pain. Healthcare providers do not believe Black pain. I have loved ones lost because someone didn’t believe them or take it seriously. THEY NEED TO BELIEVE BLACK PAIN.”
“Better promotion on how to access services especially for those who are not in school. There needs to be more representation of black and LGBTQ health care professionals and they need to be made known and accessible to the public. I think black health care professionals, and more generally all health care professionals, need to be better educated on issues that impact LGBTQ folks. i think there needs to be better and more readily available health care services - including sexual and mental health services- outside of the downtown core. I think there needs to be directories made to educate the public about POC or LGBTQ health care professionals accepting patients.”
“Anti black training for all healthcare providers and a resource that makes it easy to find black healthcare providers.”
“Include therapy in basic insurance coverages in benefits in the workplace. Therapy, at least good therapy that is frequent and helpful is extremely expensive, public resources are usually strained, and overburdened and folks may receive subpar care as a consequence of this.”
“Have black folks who are low-income, mentally ill, disabled, fat and/or otherwise marginalized at the forefront of criticizing + helping form a comprehensive healthcare system that looks at tangible ways to bring community care /and/ individual care to those in need in an efficient manner.”
“Honestly, more black healthcare workers. specifically black women working in the healthcare sector
