Final answer:
Carter G. Woodson critiqued the racism in medicine, which led to healthcare inequality and persistent mistrust among African Americans. Historical abuses and discrimination have contributed to this mistrust. Addressing these issues involves acknowledging and correcting systemic racism in healthcare.
Step-by-step explanation:
Carter G. Woodson, a pioneering African American historian, critically analyzed the racism prevalent in the field of medicine and how it impacted African Americans. Woodson recognized that the exclusion of black perspectives and experiences from historical narratives justifies and perpetuates systemic racism, influencing both white and black Americans. The medical field, through pseudo-scientific views on racial superiority, contributed to a healthcare system rife with inequality and discrimination.
African Americans were seen as inferior, leading to inadequate medical care and a distrust in the healthcare system that persists today. Woodson believed that to challenge these miseducated views, it was essential to include African American history and perspectives in the broader narrative of US history, underscoring the importance of true representation and recognition of African American contributions and struggles.
Historical episodes of abuse, such as the Tuskegee Experiment, are major factors contributing to this mistrust. Moreover, the discrimination and racism within healthcare have led to higher mortality rates and less trust among African Americans toward medical professionals. Addressing these issues requires a thorough acknowledgment and redress of the historical and ongoing structural violence against African Americans in healthcare.