Anesthesia

This page aims to draw attention to Health Equity and DEI issues within the field of anesthesiology.  This includes diversifying the workforce, pain management for people of color, as well as inequities in pediatric and obstetrics anesthesiology.

ASAQH Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resources

Diallo, M. S., Tan, J. M., Heitmiller, E. S., & Vetter, T. R. (2022). Achieving greater health equity: An opportunity for anesthesiology. Anesthesia & Analgesia, 134(6), 1175–1184. https://doi.org/10.1213/ane.0000000000005937 

Estime, S. R., Lee, H. H., Jimenez, N., Andreae, M., Blacksher, E., & Navarro, R. (2021a). Diversity, equity, and inclusion in anesthesiology. International Anesthesiology Clinics, 59(4), 81–85. https://doi.org/10.1097/aia.0000000000000337

Nwokolo, O. O., Coombs, A. A., Eltzschig, H. K., & Butterworth, J. F. (2022). Diversity and inclusion in anesthesiology. Anesthesia & Analgesia, 134(6), 1166–1174. https://doi.org/10.1213/ane.0000000000005941

Mergler BD, Toles AO, Alexander A, Mosquera DC, Lane-Fall MB, Ejiogu NI. Racial and Ethnic Patient Care Disparities in Anesthesiology: History, Current State, and a Way Forward. Anesthesia and analgesia. 2024;139(2):420-431. doi:10.1213/ANE.0000000000006716

Ortega, R., & Achu, R. A. (2021). On anesthesia and Race. Journal of the National Medical Association, 113(5), 541–545. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnma.2021.05.007

Health Inequaities in Obstetric Anesthesiology 

• Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Obstetric Anesthesia: A Scoping Review
• Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Mode of Anesthesia for Cesarean Delivery
• View more articles

Health Inequalities in Pain Management

• Medication-Related Outcomes and Health Equity: Evidence for Pharmaceutical Care
• Looking Beneath the Surface: Racial Bias in the Treatment and Management of Pain
• View more articles

Health Inequalities in Pediatric Anesthesiology 

• Racial Inequity in Pediatric Anesthesia
• Racial and ethnic health services disparities in pediatric anesthesia practice: a scoping review
• View more articles

The American Society of Anesthesiologists has created the video series Women of Impact in Anesthesiology.  This video series takes a broad look at what it means to be a woman in anesthesiology and features the voices of queer and BIPOC female anesthesiologists. 

Ebony Jade Hilton is a black anesthesiologist from South Carolina. She graduated from the College of Charleston (SC) with three bachelor's degrees and continued her medical training and fellowship at the Medical University of South Carolina. In 2013, she became the first black anesthesiologist to be hired at the Medical University of South Carolina, which opened in 1824. 

You can also listen to her episode of the ASA podcast Central Line. 

Image created of Blackdoctor.org