It Just Ain't Fair

Book excerpt: Mainstream medical ethicists engaged in impartial ethics traditions often overlook the gross disparities in health care that divide our society along color lines. This collection challenges that oversight by bringing ethicists face to face with the plight of a particularly underserved population--African Americans. Health care professionals document disparities in health status and access to care, focusing on issues such as AIDS, homelessness, infant mortality, and distribution of doctors. They discuss distrust and suspicion of the medical community, lack of respect for cultural differences, and self-help approaches. Each chapter is followed by a commentary by a well-known medical ethicist. This anthology enhances traditional medical ethics discourse by presenting the ethical voices and perspectives of African Americans. It is an important guide to developing a culturally aware medical ethics for all ethnic groups ill-served by the nation's health care system.