In Dermatology, Health Disparities Can Be Skin Deep with Dr. Marta Van Beek

04/26/23 • 16 min

In this episode of the My City My Health Podcast, host Brooklyn talks with Dr. Marta Van Beek, a dermatologist and executive medical director at the University of Iowa. They discuss the importance of health equity and the work being done to improve it in dermatology and medicine overall. Dr. Van Beek also shares her experience in addressing health disparities and the impact of community involvement in achieving health equity goals.

Show Notes:

[00:00] Introduction to the My City My Health Podcast and guest Dr. Marta Van Beek
[01:29] Dr. Van Beek's definition of health equity and the importance of addressing historical injustices
[04:24] Dr. Van Beek's involvement in national and local initiatives to improve health equity
[05:49] The work being done at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics to provide culturally sensitive hair care products for black patients
[08:33] Dr. Van Beek's drive to obtain a master's in public health and the importance of frequent skin cancer screenings
[10:57] Improvements in health equity in medicine overall and the need to regain trust from marginalized populations
[13:20] Dr. Van Beek's upcoming panel at the My City My Health Conference on providing culturally sensitive haircare products for inpatients
[15:14] The Role of community involvement in addressing health disparities

About the host: Brooklyn is a health studies major at the University of Iowa. Brooklyn is part of a team supporting the My City My Health Conference in Iowa City. The conference aims to bring together the University of Iowa and the Iowa City corridor community to discuss health equity programs and collaborations. Interested individuals can register for the conference through www.mycity.health.

Show Notes:

[00:00] Introduction to the My City My Health Podcast and guest Dr. Marta Van Beek
[01:29] Dr. Van Beek's definition of health equity and the importance of addressing historical injustices
[04:24] Dr. Van Beek's involvement in national and local initiatives to improve health equity
[05:49] The work being done at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics to provide culturally sensitive hair care products for black patients
[08:33] Dr. Van Beek's drive to obtain a master's in public health and the importance of frequent skin cancer screenings
[10:57] Improvements in health equity in medicine overall and the need to regain trust from marginalized populations
[13:20] Dr. Van Beek's upcoming panel at the My City My Health Conference on providing culturally sensitive haircare products for inpatients
[15:14] The Role of community involvement in addressing health disparities

Previous Episode

Creating Social Spaces for Health Equity: Connecting People with LaTasha DeLoach

In this episode of the My City My Health podcast, host Natalie Rutledge talks with LaTasha DeLoach about her work in community outreach and connecting people, particularly women of color and older adults, with resources and social spaces for health equity. LaTasha shares her insights on the importance of taking the pressure off of black women, erasing the super-strong black woman trope, and creating safe social spaces for people of color. Tune in to learn more about actionable steps toward health equity and how to connect with LaTasha and her work.

Time-stamped Show Notes:

00:00 Introduction
01:20 LaTasha’s background and work in community outreach
03:45 Sankofa Outreach Connections and creating social spaces for women of color
06:30 The importance of taking the pressure off of black women and erasing the super-strong black woman trope
10:20 Connecting older adults with Resources and social spaces for health equity
14:50 The impact of connecting people and resources in the community
18:00 Actionable steps towards health equity: listening to people and donating resources
20:30 Creating safe social spaces for People of Color and the Importance of health equity
24:00 Looking forward to the My City My Health Conference in Iowa City
25:06 How to connect with LaTasha and her work
26:28 Conclusion

About the host: Natalie Rutledge is a student at the University of Iowa, studying health and human physiology. Natalie is part of a team supporting the My City My Health Conference in Iowa City. The conference aims to bring together the University of Iowa and the Iowa City corridor community to discuss health equity programs and collaborations. Interested individuals can register for the conference through www.mycity.health.

Next Episode

Telemedicine, Cultural Competency, and Job Retention in Healthcare

"I would like to see more effort being put into job creation for retaining local talent. Iowa is great at attracting the best from all over the world, but I cannot see the same for retaining them." - Onyeche Oche

Join host Caleb as he talks with Onyeche Oche, a healthcare researcher and advocate, about her work in telemedicine, cultural competency in healthcare, and her vision for job retention in the Iowa City area. They discuss the challenges and benefits of telemedicine, especially for older adults, and how to make healthcare more inclusive and accessible for all.

About the Guest: Onyeche Oche is a healthcare researcher and advocate with a focus on telemedicine and cultural competency. She is passionate about giving older adults a voice in healthcare research and creating sustainable solutions for diverse communities. Onyeche is committed to making Iowa City a more inclusive and accessible place for all.

You will learn about:

The importance of cultural competency in healthcare and how it impacts patient outcomes.
Onyeche's work and research in telemedicine, especially for older adults, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The perspectives of different stakeholders, including older adults, physicians, caregivers, and medical assistants, on the barriers and facilitators of telemedicine.
The potential future of telemedicine and its role in different scenarios, individual preferences, and accessibility.
Onyeche's vision for job creation and retaining local talent in Iowa City, addressing the challenges of attracting and keeping skilled individuals in the area.
The significance of community-based participatory research in multicultural cities like Iowa and the need for collaborative solutions to address diverse communities' healthcare issues.

Show Notes:

00:00 - Introduction to My City My Health Podcast and guest Onyeche Oche
02:14 - Onyeche's background and current work in healthcare research
04:25 - The importance of cultural competency in healthcare
10:12 - The role of telemedicine during the Pandemic
15:25 - The potential future of telemedicine in healthcare
21:57 - Giving older adults a Voice in healthcare research
25:16 - The role of telemedicine in different scenarios and individual preferences
28:35 - Onyeche's hopes for job creation and retaining local talent in Iowa City
31:23 - The importance of community-based participatory research in a multicultural city like Iowa

About the host: Caleb is a student at the University of Iowa. Caleb is part of a team supporting the My City My Health Conference in Iowa City. The conference aims to bring together the University of Iowa and the Iowa City corridor community to discuss health equity programs and collaborations. Interested individuals can register for the conference through www.mycity.health.