Today we learned about Lyme disease and it’s classic symptom: a bullseye rash (erythema migrans) formed around the area of a tick bite.
A classmate of mine asked, “How is this diagnosed for those with darker skin?”
Our professor struggled to give him a clear answer. 1/5
A classmate of mine asked, “How is this diagnosed for those with darker skin?”
Our professor struggled to give him a clear answer. 1/5
After class I decided to google what we learned to see what images came up. I wasn’t surprised by what I found: a homogenous representation of the bullseye rash on white skin.
It’s no wonder our professor didn’t have a good answer to answer my classmate’s question. 2/5
It’s no wonder our professor didn’t have a good answer to answer my classmate’s question. 2/5
I’m learning more and more that medicine is taught in a way that is often times exclusionary and the treatment and manifestation of disease in those with melinated skin is treated as an afterthought, a “special case” of illness that students must do extra work to understand. 3/5
This left me with the following thoughts:
1. If stage 1 Lyme disease is taught to be recognized as a rash on white skin, how are we supposed to diagnose Lyme disease in our darker skinned patients? Does this mean Lyme disease will progress to later stages in these patients? 4/5
1. If stage 1 Lyme disease is taught to be recognized as a rash on white skin, how are we supposed to diagnose Lyme disease in our darker skinned patients? Does this mean Lyme disease will progress to later stages in these patients? 4/5
2. How does this later detection contritubute to the disparities we see in healthcare and what can we do in #medEd to reduce these disparities and ensure students have the tools necessary to treat and diagnosis patients of all skin types equitably? 5/5
#MedTwitter
#MedTwitter
