Between Care and Discrimination: Racism Experienced by the Black Population in Brasilian Health Services
1
Postgraduate Program in Collective Health, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitoria, Brazil
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Racism in Brazil constitutes a structural social determinant of health that perpetuates inequities. The objective of this study was to map and identify scientific evidence regarding the prevalence of racism experienced by the Black population within Brazilian health services.
METHODS:
This is a scoping review guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute and structured according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The search strategy applied the PCC acronym (Population, Concept, and Context) across the MEDLINE/PubMed and EMBASE databases.
RESULTS:
Five studies were selected, all presenting level IV evidence. Perceived discrimination ranged between 31.9% and 41.1% for Black individuals. The results revealed significant clinical negligence, exemplified by the absence of foot examinations in 55.3% of Black patients with diabetes compared to 48.2% of white patients. It was evidenced that racism is a biologically embodied phenomenon, associated with increased arterial stiffness and gains in weight and body mass index in the ELSA-Brazil study.
CONCLUSIONS:
Racism operates as a multidimensional barrier within the Unified Health System (SUS), undermining access to and the quality of care. It is concluded that professional training must be reoriented from an anti-racist perspective to ensure the fulfillment of health equity.
Racism in Brazil constitutes a structural social determinant of health that perpetuates inequities. The objective of this study was to map and identify scientific evidence regarding the prevalence of racism experienced by the Black population within Brazilian health services.
METHODS:
This is a scoping review guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute and structured according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The search strategy applied the PCC acronym (Population, Concept, and Context) across the MEDLINE/PubMed and EMBASE databases.
RESULTS:
Five studies were selected, all presenting level IV evidence. Perceived discrimination ranged between 31.9% and 41.1% for Black individuals. The results revealed significant clinical negligence, exemplified by the absence of foot examinations in 55.3% of Black patients with diabetes compared to 48.2% of white patients. It was evidenced that racism is a biologically embodied phenomenon, associated with increased arterial stiffness and gains in weight and body mass index in the ELSA-Brazil study.
CONCLUSIONS:
Racism operates as a multidimensional barrier within the Unified Health System (SUS), undermining access to and the quality of care. It is concluded that professional training must be reoriented from an anti-racist perspective to ensure the fulfillment of health equity.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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