When we think of healthcare, we imagine sterile hospitals, trained professionals, and a system built to protect and heal. But behind the scenes, not everyone receives the same treatment, and we’re not just talking about insurance coverage or provider availability. Discrimination in healthcare is very real, and it happens far more often than most people realize.
Whether it’s racial bias, gender disparities, income-based neglect, or the mistreatment of disabled patients, subtle and systemic discrimination can dramatically alter patient outcomes. These aren’t one-off stories. They’re patterns ingrained into policies, behaviors, and attitudes that determine who gets care, how fast, and how seriously their symptoms are taken.
Let’s look deeper into the 12 discriminatory practices that still happen shockingly often in today’s medical world.
Healthcare Discriminatory Practices to Watch Out For
1. Dismissing Women’s Pain as “Emotional” or “Exaggerated”
Women have long reported being treated as if their pain is psychological or dramatized. Studies have shown that women presenting with the same symptoms as men, especially regarding chest pain or autoimmune conditions, are far less likely to be referred for further testing or given pain relief.
This can delay diagnosis, worsen conditions, and even result in life-threatening oversight. The assumption that women are “overreacting” remains a deadly form of gender bias.
2. Racial Bias in Pain Management
Black patients are statistically less likely to receive adequate pain management in emergency rooms and hospitals. A major 2016 study revealed that many medical students believed harmful myths, such as Black people having “thicker skin” or a higher pain tolerance. This deeply rooted racism in medical training leads to under-prescription of medication, distrust in doctor-patient relationships, and increased mortality in Black communities.
3. Language Barriers Ignored or Mismanaged
Patients who speak limited or no English often face critical communication gaps. Rather than providing certified translators, some hospitals still rely on family members—even children—to translate complex medical terms. This lack of professional translation can result in misdiagnosis, mistreatment, and patients agreeing to procedures without fully understanding them.
4. Discrimination Against Transgender and Non-Binary Patients
Many transgender patients report being misgendered, questioned inappropriately about their bodies, or denied care entirely. This is especially dangerous in emergency or reproductive care, where urgency matters and delays can be fatal. Even something as simple as updating a gender marker on medical records can lead to insurance coverage denial or unnecessary complications in treatment access.
5. Dismissing Symptoms in Older Adults as “Just Aging”
Ageism in healthcare is another widespread issue. When older patients report fatigue, pain, or mental fog, they’re often told it’s simply part of getting older without deeper investigation. This leads to missed diagnoses for treatable conditions like thyroid disorders, depression, or even cancer. Aging doesn’t automatically mean a decline in health, and assuming it does can be dangerous.
6. Assuming Lower-Income Patients “Don’t Care About Their Health”
Socioeconomic status heavily influences the quality of care. Patients without private insurance are sometimes viewed as “less cooperative” or “non-compliant” even when they’re simply unable to afford medications or make frequent appointments due to work constraints. This bias can lead doctors to deprioritize patients who actually need more support, not less.
7. Ignoring or Misunderstanding Cultural Health Practices
Doctors may dismiss or mock traditional healing practices, dietary habits, or spiritual beliefs that differ from Western norms. When providers lack cultural competency, they risk alienating patients, leading to non-compliance and loss of trust. Culturally competent care doesn’t mean compromising medical standards. It means meeting patients where they are with respect and understanding.
8. Overmedicating or Institutionalizing Patients With Mental Health Conditions
People with mental illnesses, especially women and people of color, are more likely to be overmedicated or even involuntarily committed for behavior that might be treated more holistically in other patients. Symptoms like anxiety or emotional distress are sometimes interpreted as instability rather than a call for support, leading to punitive or excessive treatments instead of compassionate care.
9. Neglecting Disabled Patients’ Autonomy
Patients with physical or cognitive disabilities often report not being spoken to directly, not being asked for consent, or having their complaints disregarded altogether. Some medical facilities even lack the equipment to properly accommodate wheelchair users or the hearing impaired. These gaps create a system where disabled people are treated as afterthoughts in their own care.
10. Weight-Based Discrimination in Diagnosis
Patients in larger bodies frequently say that their symptoms, regardless of what they are, are blamed on their weight. Whether it’s knee pain, migraines, or reproductive issues, many are told to “just lose weight” before any diagnostic tests are done. This tunnel vision leads to delayed diagnoses and avoidable suffering, as underlying conditions go unchecked due to bias about body size.
11. Lack of Access to Reproductive Care for Marginalized Communities
In many low-income, rural, or racially diverse areas, access to abortion, birth control, and even prenatal care is limited or actively restricted. Women of color are disproportionately affected, with higher maternal mortality rates and fewer healthcare resources. This is more than a political issue. It’s a human rights and healthcare equity crisis.
12. Refusing Treatment Based on Immigration Status
Undocumented immigrants, even those in critical condition, are often denied care or delayed because of fear, cost, or legal concerns. In some cases, they’re turned away from emergency rooms or required to pay upfront for services, which contradicts the ethical obligation to treat any patient in need. No one should have to prove citizenship to receive life-saving care, yet this practice is still quietly enforced in parts of the U.S.
Why This Matters More Than Ever
Healthcare discrimination doesn’t always look like outright abuse. It’s in the quiet assumptions, skipped tests, and passive neglect. It’s in the discomfort that keeps someone from going to the doctor or in the stories we don’t hear until it’s too late.
Trust in the medical system is eroding for many marginalized groups, and it’s not paranoia. It’s a lived experience. But awareness is the first step. Patients, providers, and policymakers need to acknowledge that the system isn’t neutral, and until it is, lives will continue to be lost to bias.
Have you or someone you know experienced discrimination in a healthcare setting? What would you want doctors and policymakers to understand about it?
Read More:
How To Maximize Your Healthspan For A Better Lifespan (3 of 3)
