Final answer:
Washington uses the term 'Medical Apartheid' to describe how healthcare is unequally distributed across racial lines in the U.S., leading to significant health disparities. The term references the historic segregation in South Africa but is applied to the U.S. to highlight systemic inequalities in medical access and care for African Americans. Option A is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term Medical Apartheid is used by Harriet A. Washington to argue that medical care in the United States is distributed differently across social groups, especially among different races. This term is historically associated with the racialized segregation seen in South Africa but is applied in a modern context to describe a system where access to healthcare and the quality of care provided are heavily influenced by race, leading to significant health disparities. These disparities are the result of systemic inequalities that have persisted over time due to factors like socioeconomic status, access to health education, healthcare system biases, and social determinants of health.
African Americans have historically had less access to healthcare and have been subject to medical racism within a healthcare system that operated on a two-tiered approach. Factors contributing to this include higher rates of unemployment, obesity, poverty, lower rates of education, homeownership, and accumulated wealth among African Americans. This has resulted in a disproportionate burden of poor health outcomes, including chronic diseases and lower life expectancy.
The correct answer to the question is A. Medical Apartheid. This reflects both historical and ongoing issues of inequitable health treatment and access, directly correlating with social and economic disadvantages among racial groups in the United States.