The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the disparities in health outcomes and access among many marginalized groups in the US. In particular, these long-standing, systemic social inequalities increase the risk of many racial and ethnic minority groups getting sick and dying from COVID-19.
This reality is caused by a myriad of factors which are only further aggravated by the pandemic, increasing the risk of exposure to the virus for many racial/ethnic groups who already deal with health inequities. Among the factors we find the following:
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Discrimination and systemic racism: Different forms of discrimination, especially racism, lead to the social neglect of Latino and Black communities, leaving them with poorer outcomes in the realms of health, housing, education, criminal justice and finances.
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Limited access to health care: Some racial and ethnic groups are less likely to have health insurance compared to non-Hispanic whites. Access to health care services can also be limited by factors such as lack of transportation, inability to take time off from work, communication and language barriers, cultural differences between patients and providers, as well as historical transgressions and discrimination/unconscious bias in health care systems.
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Jobs with greater exposure to the virus: Some racial and ethnic groups are more likely to be employed in work essential jobs where they could be more easily exposed to COVID-19, such as jobs in health care facilities, farms, factories, grocery stores, restaurants and public transportation industries.
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Educational and economic income gaps: Inequities in quality education can impact completion and access to higher education – which impacts earning capacity and access to certain employment opportunities. These limitations on educational and employment attainment can impact other aspects of their health. For instance, if at some point these workers get sick, they generally do not have access to paid leave, nor do they generally have enough savings to cover their basic needs while recovering without receiving economic income.
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Housing: In some cultures, it is common for several generations of a family to live in the same household. Some racial and ethnic groups have families that live in overcrowded conditions which make taking health precautions such as quarantining, more difficult.
All of the factors above, can increase positive COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths attributed to COVID-19. To achieve equity in healthcare access, these barriers need to be removed so that everyone has the same opportunities to be as healthy as possible.
NHCOA acknowledges that health is one of the most important conditions in human life, and we continue our work advocating for all racial and ethnic groups to have the same access to quality health care at any time in their lives.
Reference:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/health-equity/race-ethnicity.html
