A new national study reveals that racial and ethnic minorities are far more likely than white patients to report discrimination while receiving medical care. Researchers from Georgia Southern University analyzed responses from more than 6,000 adults in the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey and found that one in twelve Americans said they had been treated unfairly in health care because of their race or ethnicity.
The disparities were stark. Black patients had over seven times higher odds of reporting discrimination compared with whites. Hispanics were more than three times as likely, and Asian Americans nearly six times as likely, to say they experienced unfair treatment. People identifying as “other” non-Hispanic groups reported the highest odds, at nearly eleven times greater than whites. These findings underscore the persistence of bias in a system meant to provide equal treatment.
Income also influenced experiences. Adults from households earning less than $20,000 a year were most likely to report discrimination, while those with incomes above $50,000 were significantly less likely to do so. Younger adults, particularly those under 35, reported higher levels of discrimination than older patients, suggesting that inequities remain entrenched for newer generations navigating the system.
The authors stress that discrimination in health care erodes trust, discourages preventive care, and fuels disparities in outcomes ranging from vaccination rates to chronic disease management. They call for mandatory anti-racism training for health workers and stronger accountability measures to reduce bias in clinical settings.
See: “Factors Associated with Perceived Racial Discrimination While Receiving Medical Care in the United States” (August 5, 2025)
