Physical Health Disparities Amongst Black Communities

 While the coronavirus has impacted many different people, black communities are disproportionately affected by COVID-19 due to many systemic and socioeconomic issues. Prior to the pandemic black communities were already experiencing disparities related to health, but after the virus spread, these disparities and inequalities were greatly exacerbated. In addition, the emergence of the recent Black Lives Matter movement has generated an increased recognition of not only social inequalities among black communities, but of especially health disparities and disproportions. This subsection will explore the current physical health disparities and inequalities that black communities have and continue to face during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"COVID-19 does not flatten these disparities; it amplifies them" [1]

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Health Disparities in America Amongst Black Communties

The emergence during COVID-19 of the Black Lives Matter movement has caused consideration and attention to the ways in which black communities have been continuously disregarded in a plethora of ways due to systemic racism. This has brought attention during COVID-19, to the fact that black communities in America have experienced disproportionate case and death rates. Housing conditions and access to health care, healthy food, transportation, technology and more are social and socioeconomic indicators that have led to these many disparities [2]. These issues and lack of supports are rooted in the American system and culture and have occurred for a very long time. One could even argue that many of these issues are occurring as a direct result of slavery that occurred in early United States. It has led to disparities related to health and many of the other indicators previously mentioned. Due to these indicators, black people have had many difficulties accessing the services and goods they need in order to live a comfortable, equitable, and healthy life. These inequalities or similar inequalities have always existed, but the coronavirus has exacerbated and magnified them, which has led to death rates and case rates increasing greatly. Black people represent about 19% of the United States population and are 3.0 times more likely to die from the coronavirus than white or Caucasian people [3]. An article from the New York Times further explores these statistics with infographics which can be seen here.

“Poverty, in turn, reinforces ideological assumptions about race. When working-class black neighborhoods have high rates of substandard housing and poor maintenance, and black communities suffer from poor diets and widespread obesity, these characteristics are conflated with race. Racializing poverty helps to distract from the systemic factors at the foundation of both racial and economic inequality” [4]

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Hospitals and Disparities Amongst Black Communities

Many of the physical health disparities that black communities are facing is due to the lack of access to health care and resources. As well, hospitals in communities with large black populations have a lack of resources and capacity. Therefore, when many black people are admitted to the hospital for a case of COVID-19, they do not receive proper medical attention as those of wealthier hospitals in neighbourhoods or cities with a majority of white people. Many hospitals in highly populated black communities have experienced shortages in resources such as masks, ventilators, and personal protective equipment as well as funding in order to treat COVID-19 patients.

An example of this is regarding one of America’s plans for funding hospitals. According to a report, funding for COVID-19 hospitals is favouring those who receive the most revenue, meaning that hospitals in black communities that are poorer receive less funding. This plan is discriminating against black communities because when their hospitals receive less funding, there is a lack of resources and equipment needed in order to treat patients for the virus [5]. The increased lack of resources can lead to more deaths due to COVID-19. This is just one example where black communities are being disproportionately affected by the pandemic and as well how the American system is extremely flawed and unequitable.

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Health Disparities in Canada Amongst Black Communities

In Canada, access to information or statistics about physical health disparities amongst black communities is less accessible and available. According to a study published on the website Covid-19 Resources Canada, "Governments across Canada continue to resist calls to regularly collect race and socioeconomic data for COVID-19 on the basis that all racialized and ethnic groups are equally important"[6]. This statement regrets to recognize that there is a systemic disproportion and inequality that exists which should consider. While the Canadian government fails to share information that is needed, prior statistics can be observed. According to the official Canada Government website, racism has been recorded as a driver of health related inequality. In addition, it states that "Today, Black Canadians experience health and social inequities linked to processes of discrimination at multiple levels of society, including individual, interpersonal, institutional, and societal discrimination" [7]. Therefore, if these health disparities were pre-existing to the COVID-19 pandemic, then it is most likely that said health disparities were exacerbated. As stated before, "COVID-19 does not flatten these disparities, it amplifies them" [8].

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What are the Next Steps?

            It is unlikely that these many health disparities and inequalities will disappear without added supports and plans. Many people have formed suggested courses of action in order to increase health-related equality amongst black communities. Resources and safe services. such as increased medical coverage and plans, increased funding for hospitals and other health care institutions, increased COVID-19 testing, relief funds, safe and maintained housing, access to healthy food, and technology among many others. As racism is rooted in American and Canadian culture and systems, it will be long before these disparities are eliminated. Despite this, as we continue to see, movements such as the Black Lives Matter movement show humanity and that people do care and want change.

                                       

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[1] "Statement from Black Health Leaders on COVID-19’s impact on Black Communities in Ontario," Alliance For Healthier Communities, April 2, 2020, https://www.allianceon.org/news/Statement-Black-Health-Leaders-COVID-19s...

[2] "Covid-19 and Health Disparities: The Impact on Black/African Americans," IDSA Society, Published June 24, 2020, https://www.idsociety.org/globalassets/idsa/public-health/covid-19/covid-and-african-americans-policy-brief-final.pdf  

[3] APM Research Lab Staff, "The Colour of Coronavirus: Covid-19 Deaths by Race and Ethnicity in the U.S," APM Research Lap, Nov 12, 2020, https://www.apmresearchlab.org/covid/deaths-by-race 

[4] Keeanga-Yamahtta, Taylor, "The Black Plague: Public officials lament the way that the coronavirus is engulfing black communities. The question is, what are they prepared to do about it," The New Yorker, April 16, 2020, https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/the-black-plague 

[5] Diana, Bass & John, Tozzi, "U.S. Covid Funding Flaw Shortchanges Hospitals in Black Communities," Bloomberg, September 10, 2020, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-09-10/u-s-covid-funding-fla...

[6] Gurkiran, Dhurga & Glen Pyle, "The Racial Disparities of Covid-19," Covid-19 Resources Canada, July 17, 2020, https://covid19resources.ca/explained/explained_car.html 

[7]"Social Determinents of Health," Government of Canada, September 8, 2020, https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/populat...

[8] "Statement from Black Health Leaders on COVID-19’s impact on Black Communities in Ontario," Alliance For Healthier Communities, April 2, 2020, https://www.allianceon.org/news/Statement-Black-Health-Leaders-COVID-19s...