Racism is a Threat to Public Health: CDC

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As COVID-19 highlighted the continual brutality against Black people in America and the glaring health disparities, the Center for Disease Control has announced that racism seriously threatens public health. CDC acknowledgment of this long-known fact simple means that, Racism, structural and systemic affects an individual’s health.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT!?

This also means, that, there will be funding allocated to address Racism as public health issue. They noted that bias held by some doctors impacts how they treatment is rendered to their Black patients. On a larger scale, racism has caused larger structural barriers that, have make it more difficult for many communities of color to access affordable high-quality health care on an ongoing basis. In the past year access to COVID testing, PPE and now vaccine have remained limited in many communities of colors where incidence and prevalence rate remain high.

CDC director Rochelle Walensky, M.D., M.P.H. in a statement said, “These social determinants of health have lifelong negative effects on the mental and physical health of individuals in communities of color, “Over generations, these structural inequities have resulted in stark racial and ethnic health disparities that are severe, far-reaching, and unacceptable.”

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE:

Your health is important! Quality of Life is dependent on your health. That simple!!!!!

They addressed the effects of the long-term stress created by racism and its impacts the health disparities seen in people of color, particularly Black people. Studies supports that, Black people experience higher rates of illness and death across a wide range of health conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, obesity, asthma, and heart disease, when compared to their White counterparts.