COVID-19 has had an impact on everyone. People have lost their jobs and organizations were forced to shut down. However, while most of them were able to recover, the negative impact of COVID-19 has been permanent on minority populations.
When it comes to the outcome of COVID-19, it’s evident that race counts. Although race-based statistics are not regularly available, local sources indicate that COVID-19 disproportionately affects racialized groups.
According to the CDC, the risk for COVID-19 infections is 1.6 times greater for Hispanic or Latino persons, and 1.0 times greater for Black or African Americans than in non-racialized communities. Infection rates with SARS-CoV-02 are also 69 percent higher in First Nations people living on reserves than in the general population.
These tendencies are not exclusive to the United States. Research from other high-income nations, such as Canada and the United Kingdom, suggests that COVID-19 has a greater impact on racialized groups.
Why Has COVID-19 Impacted Minorities Differently?
The disparities between racialized and Indigenous communities cannot be attributed to biological variations between groups or populations. Rather, they reflect existing health inequities that are heavily impacted by a collection of social and economic factors, such as income, education, work, and housing, all of which shape a person’s standing in society.
Discrimination, racism, and historical trauma are key social determinants of health for some populations, such as Indigenous people, racialized communities, and LGBTQ2 Americans.
Historical Inequities
Systemic racism, ageism, sexism, and homophobia, as well as other structural or societal problems that are further marginalized, such as homelessness, have exacerbated both the direct and indirect effects of COVID-19 in the US. It is critical to acknowledge that these historical disparities have existed for many generations inside American (and other national and international) systems and organizations.
Indigenous people are acknowledged as sovereign people in America because they were the country’s first inhabitants. Despite this, they continue to confront inequalities today.
Some historical drivers at the root of these inequalities include uneven racial power dynamics created by colonization and reinforced by ongoing colonialism, forced removal from traditional lands, the creation of the reservation system, the residential and day school systems, and disproportionate rates of child apprehension and incarceration.
Intergenerational trauma and genuine inequities have resulted from these upheavals and injustices, leaving Indigenous people vulnerable.
Anti-Black Racism
Racism and discrimination against Black people have a long history in America. It is perpetuated by racial power dynamics dating back to slavery and colonization, as well as forced removal from traditional lands, social, educational, residential, and occupational segregation, and race-based stereotypes.
For example, the Harlem neighborhood in New York will forever be ingrained in history as the quintessence of black excellence. Despite black people being a large part of American history, many of these groups continue to face health injustices and disparities, which are compounded by COVID-19.
Anti-Black racism is still present in the American healthcare system, particularly in the form of racial bias on the part of healthcare workers and systemic racism within institutional procedures. This is exacerbated by America’s low proportion of Black healthcare providers.
The continuous generational systemic racism and mistreatment in the healthcare system has instilled enormous skepticism within colored populations, as well as a severe lack of faith in these systems and organizations. This lack of trust has contributed to a high level of fear of the COVID-19 vaccine among Black and Indigenous people, as well as other racialized groups.
Is There A Solution?
Recognizing and addressing the underlying injustices that colored groups face is a vital first step for all of us in advancing health equity. By evaluating and continuing to examine our potential prejudices, we may all strive toward reconciliation and a better, more equal future. Biases can keep laws and practices in place that perpetuate power dynamics and keep resources out of the hands of those who need them most.
Moving forward, it will be critical to prioritize the gathering and analysis of race-based data across the country, while also adhering to culturally relevant data collection, administration, and reporting standards and procedures. We need this data to figure out where and how people are most affected so that we can better serve them with public health measures.
Inequities in the risk of COVID-19 must be addressed. This entails acknowledging the fact that we do not treat everyone equally. Someone who is at higher risk may require further assistance, and those who are most in danger must be immunized first during this pandemic.
To prevent ongoing racial inequalities, present and future generations should learn more about racialized and minority populations and look to increase their analytical skills, so that they may help to provide a solution to this continued problem.
By Elizabeth Mackenzie, Founder and CEO, https://www.globalprassociates.com
