The CDC Officially Declares Racism A "Serious Public Health Threat"
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Posted By: Kennedy Williams on April 13, 2021 In a statement recently released on the CDC website, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky acknowledged that racism is a systematic horror that plagues people of color every single day, calling it a "serious public health threat." She also spoke on how COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted communities of color and cited data to prove it. "A growing body of research shows that centuries of racism in this country has had a profound and negative impact on communities of color. The impact is pervasive and deeply embedded in our society—affecting where one lives, learns, works, worships, and plays and creating inequities in access to a range of social and economic benefits—such as housing, education, wealth, and employment. These conditions—often referred to as social determinants of health—are key drivers of health inequities within communities of color, placing those within these populations at greater risk for poor health outcomes." The data show that racial and ethnic minority groups, throughout the United States, 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. Additionally, the life expectancy of non-Hispanic/Black Americans is four years lower than that of White Americans. The COVID-19 pandemic and its disproportionate impact among racial and ethnic minority populations is another stark example of these enduring health disparities. She ended the statement by saying, "To build a healthier America for all, we must confront the systems and policies that have resulted in the generational injustice that has given rise to racial and ethnic health inequities. We at CDC want to lead in this effort—both in the work we do on behalf of the nation’s health and the work we do internally as an organization. Confronting the impact of racism will not be easy... I know that we can do this if we work together. I certainly hope you will lean in and join me." If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Kennedy Williams
From Loganville, GA Spelman College class of 2020 Member Since July 2016 |
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