Obtaining a diagnosis is important for those facing medical challenges. They need to understand what caused their symptoms in order to actually resolve their medical challenges instead of just treating the symptoms as they arise.
In cases where people have conditions that may progress, such as severe infections or cancer, the earlier that they start treatment, the better their long-term prognosis may be. People rely on physicians and other medical professionals to determine the underlying cause of their symptoms. Doctors ask specific questions or conduct special tests to affirm the presence of certain conditions or rule out potential medical issues.
Diagnostic errors are relatively common, and some people are actually at increased risk of diagnostic errors when compared with the general public. What groups often face a particularly uphill battle when attempting to diagnose the underlying cause of their symptoms?
Women
Everybody has a degree of implicit bias, including health care professionals. Cultural messaging and stereotypes can influence how doctors treat different types of patients. In some cases, doctors are dismissive of women’s symptoms. Other times, they may not understand that certain serious medical issues present differently in women than in men. Heart attacks and strokes, for example, can look very different depending on the sex of the patient. Women are at substantially increased risk of diagnostic errors or failure to diagnose when compared with men.
People of color
Racial bias can also influence how doctors interact with patients. Doctors may assume that people who belong to certain races are more likely to exaggerate their symptoms in an attempt to obtain certain medications. They may also assume that some racial groups have higher pain tolerance than others, which has little basis in medical science. Like women, people from different racial groups are at a distinct disadvantage throughout the diagnostic process.
People with language barriers
People from many different countries live in and visit the United States. Some of them may struggle to get the medical support that they require because of a language barrier. An inability to communicate effectively and an unwillingness to request translator services might result in language barriers impacting the diagnostic process. Those who are deaf or hard of hearing may also face challenges, especially if they communicate primarily through American Sign Language.
In scenarios where another professional could have reached an accurate diagnosis and prevented harm as a result, diagnostic errors can constitute medical malpractice. Filing a medical malpractice lawsuit can help people who did not receive proper treatment hold the healthcare providers involved responsible.