Issues in dermatologic health care delivery in minority populations

It is well known that African Americans are at low risk for one of the most serious diagnoses in dermatology--skin cancer. A consequence of this lower cancer risk has been an undervaluing of the importance of appropriate dermatologic care in this population. In fact, there are many other skin diseases and disorders that not only cause significant morbidity among this population but also emotional and psychological sequelae. This article examines barriers and challenges to providing dermatologic care among African Americans and provides recommendations and suggestions for improving care delivery in this population.