Racism in Health Services in Brazil

Abstract

This article discusses racial prejudices and discrimination in perceptions, attitudes and practices among health personnel in the municipality of Cama ç ari. The survey’s methodology included racist statements in questionnaires distributed to 634 health workers, as well as socio-determinants of health, family and work characteristics. Results indicate how masked racism is reproduced through ambiguous attitudes and practices; the feeling that speaking about race/color would create a racist conflict, supposing that it does not exist, and resistance against accepting the need to correct injustices and promoting affirmative policies.