Experience as Education: An Interview with Aqua Asberry, HT(ASCP)CM

Experiencing racism throughout her educational years, Aqua Asberry, HT(ASCP)_^CM, Histology Lab Coordinator at Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience at Georgia Tech, now uses those experiences in her career to bring more awareness to the need for improved diversity and inclusion within pathology and laboratory medicine. She shares her thoughts on how to combat these disparities. 

How does race affect health care?  

In health care, minorities are less likely to receive the best treatment, insurance coverage or careers. Statistics show a significant bias toward people of color in all areas of health care, except morbidity and death. The majority is the priority in health care. 

Racial disparities in health care create greater risks for everyone. The systematic discrimination of marginalized races invokes cynicism toward medical practices, careers, facilities and professionals. Because of this, there’s a silent fear that minorities battle with when it comes to doctors and medication. This battle causes life-altering illnesses that take a great toll on the quality of our society’s health and wealth.   

How can racial disparities be combatted in health care?   

Certain patients receive different care because the discrimination of minorities is not addressed. When a particular group of people dominate any field, their perspectives, needs and wants are at the top of the pyramid. Unintentionally, everything else becomes less important and is usually neglected. 

The first step [to combatting disparities] is to understand everyone’s current perspective on racial disparities in health care. Some people may not be aware of the problem. Present statistics that show the racial biases that exist, and then develop guidelines to promote anti-discriminatory practices.  

How have your personal experiences with racism in health care affected your career? What challenges do you face in working to improve diversity and inclusion?
 
I’ve experienced many racist incidents in healthcare. As a student, racism made me hate school and turn my back on my dream of becoming a forensic pathologist. As an adult, I use these incidents to teach the importance of equality, respect, understanding and acceptance. We must teach and practice that there is no wrong way to treat everyone right. Once the change occurs in you, you’ll be able to influence others to change as well. 

The biggest challenge that I face is trying to get others to realize that this is not a simple task at hand, and it won’t happen overnight. Increasing diversity and inclusion in healthcare means altering ways of thinking and breaking down the barriers of systematic discrimination that’s been accepted for years. We have to create a new narrative.  

Diversity and inclusion have long been a topic in healthcare systems, so why has the dial not shifted? 

The reason that diversity and inclusion is still a lingering topic in healthcare systems is because it’s viewed as a discussion topic and not a problem. Until we are ready to accept that racial disparities exist and serve as the foundation of the lack of diversity and inclusion in health care, no solution can be made. We must categorize this as a problem!