Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects people from all ethnic and cultural groups. In this limited series, we'll explore how inequalities in the healthcare system affect people from diverse backgrounds.

What is it like to not have anyone on your medical team that looks like you or understands your concerns? The diversity of the human experience is often not reflected in the healthcare system. In fact, there's little research into some areas of IBD, including the experience of LGBTQIA+ patients.

Dr Cedric Pulliam, Senior Public Health Advisor at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, had a long journey to a diagnosis of Crohn's disease, punctuated by less than helpful advice from specialists. His experiences as a public health advocate, a patient, and a gay male have brought him to be an open advocate for those in the LGBTQ community. Dr Pulliam has advice on how the IBD community can learn from other disease states in how to truly meet the needs of patients.

Find Dr Pulliam on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Credits:

Healthcare Disparities in IBD is written, produced, and directed by Amber Tresca.

Theme music, mix, and sound design is by Cooney Studio.