Title: How Systemic Racism Contributes to Disparities in Health
Headings: How Systemic Racism Contributes to Disparities in Health
How Systemic Racism Contributes to Disparities in Health
Section 1: The Problem — How Systemic Racism is Connected to Disparities in Healthcare
Health Outcome Disparities
Wealth Gap
Lack of Paid Sick Time
Insurance Disparities
Disparities in Access to Healthy Food
Environmental Hazards
Underfunded Hospitals
Disparities in Access to Care
Racial Disparities in Maternal Care and Outcomes
Racial Disparities in Mental Health Care
Section 2: Causes and Factors — What Contributes to Racial Disparities in Health Outcomes?
Implicit Bias in Healthcare
The Racist History of America’s Healthcare Systems
Fear and Distrust of the Health Care System
Lacking Diversity in Healthcare Professionals
Section 3: Solutions — Ideas for Moving Forward to Address Racial Health Inequity
Diverse Staffing
Creating Education Pathways for BIPOC Doctors
Implicit Bias and Diversity Training for Doctors
Improving Access to Higher Quality Care
Addressing Systemic Social Determinants of Health
Community Education Programs
Collecting Race Data
Empowering Black Patients
Conclusion
About the Author
Ted Chan, MBA
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Content: Dr. Madeline Sutton, a board-certified OB/GYN, medical epidemiologist, and public health expert who formerly worked at the CDC acknowledged that people of color are more likely to be uninsured when compared with white people in the U.S.
“This creates access challenges and often causes people to delay care because healthcare is very costly,” Dr. Sutton added. Adult insurance disparities have narrowed significantly since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, yet many BIPOC are still uninsured or underinsured at higher rates. Disparities in Access to Healthy Food
Another issue that affects the health of poor Black and Brown people is the prevalence of food deserts in low-income neighborhoods. Not living close enough to a grocery store that sells fresh, healthy food is a contributing factor to poor diets in low-income BIPOC families. These families often can’t afford to eat healthy diets, leading them to rely on cheap fast food and processed foods. Unhealthy diets put people at higher risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and other diseases that disproportionately affect BIPOC. Environmental Hazards
Socioeconomic and racial segregation of communities of Black and Hispanic/Latino residents leads to disproportionate exposure to environmental hazards, such as pollution and toxic waste. according to an analysis by the University of California, Berkeley, and the California Environmental Protection Agency. These environmental hazards increase risk for certain health conditions and lead to worse outcomes for certain conditions. BIPOC populations are more likely to be exposed to environmental hazards in their neighborhoods or on the job.