Treating Racism as a Public Health Crisis

Strategic Insights -

The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the intersection of public health crises and systemic racism in the United States. In response to the growing awareness of the detrimental effects of racism on communities of color, several states and local governments have declared racism a public health crisis. This trend highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to address the social determinants of health that perpetuate racial disparities. Michigan and Nevada have recently joined Wisconsin and other states in issuing similar declarations, underscoring the widespread recognition of racism's impact on public health.

Key Takeaways:

  • Racism is a public health crisis that affects the lives of people of color, particularly Black Americans, through various channels, including housing, education, income, and access to healthcare.
  • Racism is linked to worse health outcomes for Black and brown patients, including higher rates of high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke, as well as increased risk of severe illness from Covid-19.
  • The American Public Health Association, the American Medical Association, and other health organizations have recognized racism as a public health crisis for over a decade.
  • Declaring racism a public health crisis is just the first step, as many declarations lack clear plans of action or allocation of funds to tackle the problem.
  • Examples of effective implementation include Milwaukee County's ordinance, which outlines a framework for improving health outcomes and addressing biases in government services.
  • Elected officials must take proactive steps, such as collecting data, analyzing disparities, and engaging communities in developing solutions to address racism.
  • Public health experts hope that the momentum of the racial justice movement continues, leading to meaningful action and positive change in the lives of people affected by racism.

Statistics:

  • Black women are nearly four times as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women (Johns Hopkins report).
  • Black men are more than twice as likely to be killed by police as White men (Covid-19 pandemic).
  • Black people are more likely to experience high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke than White people.
  • The Covid-19 pandemic has brought renewed attention to the ways that systems and institutions disadvantage people of color, especially Black Americans.

Sources:

  • CNN (Byline: Harmeet Kaur and Skylar Mitchell)
  • American Public Health Association (APHA)
  • Johns Hopkins report on the impact of racism on the pandemic
  • Milwaukee County's ordinance
  • Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers's statement on racism as a public health crisis