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Viral image of a black fetus is highlighting the need for diversity in medical illustrations – The Henry Club

December 10, 2021
Bharat Times

(While most fetuses are red in color—newborns are deep pink or red in color and only gradually develop a skin color that they will persist throughout life—medical illustrations are intended to represent patients who have Lost lives. Skin colors are not used to see such images.)

“The whole purpose was to talk about what I’m passionate about — equity in healthcare — and also to show the beauty of black people,” he told the publication. “We don’t need more representation like this – we need more people to be represented like this.”

CNN reached out to eBay for comment, but did not elaborate on the subject.

Ni-Ka Ford, chair of the Association of Medical Illustrators’ diversity committee, said the organization was grateful for Ibe’s illustration.

“Along with the importance of black and brown body representation in medical illustration, their depiction also serves to counter another major flaw in the medical system, which is the disproportionate maternal mortality rate of black women in this country, ‘ he wrote in an email. CNN.

what is medical illustration

Medical images have been used for thousands of years to record and communicate procedures, pathology, and other aspects of medical knowledge. Ancient Egyptians for Leonardo da VinciScience and art are combined to translate complex information into visuals that can communicate concepts to students, practitioners, and the public. These images are used not only in textbooks and scientific journals, but also in films, presentations, and other mediums.
There are less than 2,000 trained medical illustrators in the world, according to Association of Medical Painters, with only a few accredited medical illustration programs in North America that tend to be expensive and admit few students, the area has historically been dominated by white and male people – meaning that painted bodies are usually But even if you are.

“historically” [medical illustrations] “I’ve always featured white able-bodied male figures and still do today,” Ford said. “The bias towards one body type in medical illustration marginalizes everyone else.”

Studies have supported this lack of diversity. Researchers from the University of Wollongong in Australia found 2014 study that with an identifiable gender in more than 6,000 images in 17 anatomy textbooks published between 2008 and 2013, only 36% of the depicted bodies were female. A vast majority were white. About 3% of the images analyzed showed disabled bodies, while only 2% showed elderly people.

Why diversity matters in the region

Variety matters in the field of medical illustrations (or lack thereof) because of the implications these images can have for medical trainees, physicians, and patients.

“Without equal representation and continued use of only white able-bodied patients depicted in medical textbooks, medical professionals are limited in their ability to accurately diagnose and treat those who do not fit that mold,” Ford said. “Physician professionals may then rely on racial stereotypes and generalizations because of a knowledge gap on how different symptoms present on darker skin, leading to poor care.”

A study by the same University of Wollongong researchers published in 2018 found that gender-biased images from anatomy textbooks increased medical students’ scores on implicit bias tests. Another study published in Journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery — Global Open in 2019 found that white patients were overrepresented in plastic surgery magazine images, which the authors suggested could potentially affect care for non-white patients.
Black adults report bias in health care compared to white and Latino people, study finds

“For decades, peer-reviewed academic publications have used photographs and images that insufficiently portray the diversity in the demographics of patients affected by particular diseases,” the researchers wrote. “This is particularly striking in the lack of diversity in medical portrayal. These disparities in medical reporting can have lasting effects on access and provision of health care.”

Ford said people who are not often depicted in medical pictures “may feel left out and unnoticed in health care settings, leading to a sense of distrust and isolation when receiving care.” She also said that medical professionals may feel less empathy for groups that are not represented – people who are black, brown, women, transgender or non-binary – which can reduce the quality of care they receive. Huh. can do.

There have been inequalities in health care well documented, studies show that black patients are more likely to experience bias And being misdiagnosed for certain conditions. Research has also shown that a large proportion of white medical students and residents misconceptions about biological differences between black and white people, which can lead to racial bias in the way they perceive and treat their pain.

Medical illustrator Hilary Wilson told CNN that despite the continued need for medical illustrations to reflect the full range of human diversity, the field is seeing changes.

Wilson, whose graphs Black people featured in infographics about eczema, sun damage, alopecia and other conditions, said both patients and physicians can benefit from seeing the diversity represented in medical images. And through her work, she is attempting to humanize people of color and other marginalized groups by doing so.

“The reality is there are so many different types of people out there,” she said. “To me, a resource is not complete if I don’t at least consider it and do my best to account for the fact that there are so many different types of people.”

While Ibe’s image of a black fetus appears to mark a departure from the norm, Wilson said he hopes that in the future, seeing black skin in medical images will become routine.

“Eventually, I hope it can become one of the expected things,” she said.