Low number of Black dermatologists could hurt quality of care, providers warn

For people of color, basic dermatological conditions sometimes go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed by doctors unfamiliar with treating darker skin, healthcare professionals say (Source: “Skin color matters: In dermatology, patients' diversity calls more Black doctors,” Columbus Dispatch, July 29).

According to a June 2017 study published in the Dermatology Journal of the American Medical Association, 3% of dermatologists in the United States were Black. In 2020, 13.4% of the U.S. population was Black or African American, according to the U.S. Census.

A lack of diversity in any medical field can hurt the quality of care given. And a doctor from one ethnic or racial background might be able to offer information not necessarily taught in school.