Health Care

Please answer the following question you should only uses the episode of unnatural causes episode when the bough breaks, unfortunately i could not find the free episode to include but i have attached clips and full transcript of the episode.

Questions to be answered: each question one page.
1) In what ways does the experience and effects of daily life stressors contrast with the experience of racism?
2) Dr. Jones says that the chronic stress of racism is like “gunning the engine of a car, never letting up.” What does she mean? How does this affect the body over time?

Video clips:
https://unnaturalcauses.org/video_clips.php?vid_filter=Episode%202%20-%20When%20the%20Bough%20Breaks

Episode Description:
https://unnaturalcauses.org/episode_descriptions.php?page=2

Unnatural Causes: When the Bough Breaks

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Unnatural Causes: When the Bough Breaks

In what ways does the experience and effects of daily life stressors contrast with the experience of racism?

Daily life stressors affect health and general wellness of people, especially pregnant women. According to the video, these stressors are avoided or minimized by an individual having wealth and being able to take care of themselves when pregnant. In general, health follows wealth since “the higher on the socioeconomic ladder you are, the lower your risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, infant death, and preterm deliveries” (California Newsreel, 2008). This means that daily life stressors are largely minimized by having wealth and being educated. Educated African American women enjoy the advantages of status and large income especially when it comes to their health and the health of their unborn babies. They can access quality healthcare services and lead a healthy life.

The experience of racism is, however, quite different from the daily life stressors since it is not minimized or eliminated by being wealthy or educated. “African American women are at increased risk during pregnancy because of the cumulative impact of racism” that they have experienced over their lifetime, which “outweighs the benefits of wealth or higher social and class status” (California Newsreel, 2008). An investigation by Drs. Collins and David showed that African immigrants to the United States tended to have babies with lower weights compared to babies of US-born white women, despite having similar birth outcomes (California Newsreel, 2008). The cumulative experience of racism seems to affect even the well-educated and wealthy Black women since they end up having birth outcomes that are worse than those of white women who did not finish high school. Researchers believe that racism experiences cause anxiety and release of stress hormones, which over time creates wear and tear on body organs and systems. These outcomes can trigger premature labor and other pregnancy complications.

Dr. Jones says that the chronic stress of racism is like “gunning the engine of a car, never letting up.” What does she mean? How does this affect the body over time?

Dr. Jones is referring to the effect of cumulative racism experience, which results in chronic stress. The cumulative experience of racism causes anxiety and the release of stress hormones, which over time creates wear and tear on body organs and systems. These outcomes can trigger premature labor and other pregnancy complications. African American women have grown up constantly internalizing the racism and unequal treatment that they experience every day. They constantly worry about being discriminated against and where they will escape. They wish for a life where they are not treated unequally and worry about how their child, unborn or living, will live and interact with other children. One woman says that she thinks about how her open and friendly daughter will run up to white children and ask to play with them; how they will probably not answer her and just look at her and run away (California Newsreel, 2008).

Such a scenario would be heartbreaking for her to see and African American women go through such worry and experiences every day. Women from immigrant communities have to take their children outside their neighborhoods to access the best educational opportunities. They are always worried that their children will be racially profiled and are concerned that they may not have opportunities in life. All this results in different types of stress, which accumulates over time and affects the birth outcomes and health of these women. This constant worry and building up of stress are what the doctor symbolizes using the “gunning the engine of a car, never letting up” expression (California Newsreel, 2008).

References

California Newsreel. (2008). Unnatural Causes: When the Bough Breaks.