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Louisiana Senator: Our Maternal Death Rates Are Only Bad If You Count Black Women (www.vanityfair.com)

submitted 20 hours ago by Davriellelouna@lemmy.world to c/nottheonion@lemmy.world

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[–] ThisGuyThat@lemmy.world 11 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago) (1 children)

In an interview with Politico, the following words came out of Cassidy’s mouth: “About a third of our population is African American; African Americans have a higher incidence of maternal mortality. So, if you correct our population for race, we’re not as much of an outlier as it’d otherwise appear. Now, I say that not to minimize the issue but to focus the issue as to where it would be. For whatever reason, people of color have a higher incidence of maternal mortality.”

Scum POS. I'm sure he will start fixing the issue instead contributing to it.

[–] bus_factor@lemmy.world 2 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

I think he's pointing out that this is a federal race-connected issue, not a local state issue. As in other states have similar stats if you group the numbers by race.

If that is correct, that's a fair assessment. He should obviously work with the rest of Congress to solve that national issue, though, and he should really spearhead it if it affects his state more.

[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 2 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

Still a greater Louisiana problem

Overall, according to Louisiana's Department of Health, "four black mothers die for every white mother" in the state. It outpaces a three-to-one ratio nationwide, which is already the worst in the developed world, Politico reported.

https://www.businessinsider.com/gop-senator-la-outlier-maternal-death-rate-skewed-black-women-2022-5

[–] maniclucky@lemmy.world 1 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

If only states were capable of doing things to improve the lives of their residents above what the nation as a whole can do. Clearly it's impossible. Woe be this poor powerless state politician.

Your justification doesn't hold within its own logic. And doesn't address how blatantly racist the statement itself is.

[–] bus_factor@lemmy.world 1 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Solving it in his state is certainly a good way of spearheading a national solution.

As for you considering the statement racist: I was expecting a lot worse based on the headline. I don't think grouping by race when looking at health statistics is inherently racist. Race can be relevant to health outcomes, among other reasons due to racism, and so one should be allowed to discuss that.

Deciding to ignore the problem because it predominantly affects a certain race is racist, but that wasn't what was stated in the quote earlier in this thread, despite the headline suggesting it was.

[–] maniclucky@lemmy.world 1 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

Except adjusting for race is not appropriate. They are a significant portion of his constituent population. It may help explain a factor as to why it's higher in his state. But I'll bet being in a red state is also a factor given things like doctors fleeing, budget cuts, etc.

Additionally, such stats are prone to reflecting biases in the system rather than actual medically relevant information. Do black women have worse outcomes because of biological reasons, or because they are treated worse. This is one of those stats you have to be careful with because a nontrivial amount of time, it's damn near proof of racism.

[–] GreyEyedGhost@lemmy.ca 1 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

It's appropriate if you follow up with investigations for the reasons that is happening and look for solutions to correct that. Other than, "Have you tried not being poor?" of course.

[–] maniclucky@lemmy.world 1 points 11 hours ago

Correct, I just don't feel like pretending that that's a thing they might do and that it isn't the racism causing the problem.