Mahatma Gandhi once said “The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.” This quote makes one ponder upon the novel COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on many vulnerable populations and what it has revealed about the state of health worldwide. To some people in the world it feels as though what is occurring currently are new concerns but to others these are long standing issues they have been dealing with all their lives. The novel COVID-19 virus revealed and continues to reveal pre-existing structural inequalities and injustices. To delve into this topic we would need to take a look at some of the driving factors for current health inequities.
A higher educational attainment has a direct correlation with good health outcomes. Education level also has a strong relationship with income. In the United States there still remain large gaps in educational attainment for people of color as compared to their white counterparts. As of 2017 the amount of people that have attained higher educational degrees was significantly higher for white people as compared to their African American counterparts. In 2011-2012 only 57% of African American students had the ability to take math and science courses needed to be considered college ready (American Council on Education 2020). If we continue to look at the years in the past we will most likely find the same trends in the educational gap. There have been many inequalities that African American communities have been facing prior to COVID-19. Some of these inequalities include: lack of access to healthcare, low socioeconomic status, unequal access to healthier food options, as well as low resources, etc. The COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated these issues.
Now when we take a look at the statistics of the COVID-19 pandemic and how it affected the nation, we can see how African American communities and other communities of color have been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. When we look at the United States for example, many communities of color have been affected by COVID-19 at alarming rates as compared to their white counterparts as minority groups are disproportionately affected by COVID-19. For instance, according to the CDC, African Americans have 2.6 times higher COVID-19 cases and they are 4.7 times higher to be hospitalized for COVID-19 (Ndugga 2021).
The Road Ahead: Equity
When we look at the work that needs to be done there is an essential need to diminish the inequities we see in healthcare today. The next steps should include health in all approaches to governance and policy making given that various factors from career choices to the environment we live in and even to education level all affect health. This would ensure that we approach policy making from a collaborative and holistic standpoint. When we approach policy making from a standpoint of equity we are ensuring that all members of society have an equal opportunity to achieve quality health. Organizations like Fountain House, Partners in Health, Last Mile Health continue to work to support everyone affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, Fountain House prioritized mental health in an effort to reveal the issues that the COVID-19 pandemic has created as well as support those who suffer from mental health issues. As a society the only way we move forward is to continue to support all members regardless of their race, gender, sex, socioeconomic status, etc.
References
American Council on Education. (2020, September 10). Educational Attainment, by Race and Ethnicity. Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education. Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://www.equityinhighered.org/indicators/u-s-population-trends-and-educational-attainment/educational-attainment-by-race-and-ethnicity/
Ndugga, N., & Artiga, S. (2021, May 12). Disparities in Health and Health Care: 5 Key Questions and Answers. KFF. Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/disparities-in-health-and-health-care-5-key-question-and-answers/
United Negro College Fund. (2020, March 20). K-12 Disparity Facts and Statistics. UNCF. Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://uncf.org/pages/k-12-disparity-facts-and-stats
Zajacova, A. (2018, January 12). The relationship between education and health: reducing disparities through a contextual approach. The Relationship between Education and Health: Reducing. Retrieved November 4, 2021, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5880718/
