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Examples of the Seven C’s in Media

Example #1:

Source Tweet: @Oregonian “Biden admin announces partnership between rivals Merck and Johnson & Johnson to make COVID-19 vaccine trib.al/sHORAGw” Twitter, 2 March 2021, https://twitter.com/Oregonian/status/1366760742343626755?s=20 @CenterPovIneq “The pandemic has created a new risk divide. Face-to-face workers bear disproportionate health and economic risks, while remote workers are more protected from those risks” Twitter, 2 March 2021, https://twitter.com/CenterPovIneq/status/1366837210364841984

This tweet, with its attached article from the Oregonian, explains how the struggles that Johnson & Johnson were having impacted the number of vaccines they could produce and distribute. President Biden has brought these two rival companies together to overcome this problem of too few vaccines with a country that already has a shortage of vaccines. This bringing together of rival companies for a shared goal reminds me of one of the seven C’s that Komives describes in their text: Collaboration. Collaboration is the bringing together of two or more people, companies, or communities to work together towards a common goal. This is a wonderful example of two companies, putting aside their differences to hopefully help the people and get everyone vaccinated.

Example #2

@CenterPovIneq “The pandemic has created a new risk divide. Face-to-face workers bear disproportionate health and economic risks, while remote workers are more protected from those risks” Twitter, 2 March 2021, https://twitter.com/CenterPovIneq/status/1366837210364841984

Many low-income workers have questioned whether it is safe to work, especially those who do not have access to healthcare. Most of the face-to-face workers are disproportionately impacted because most of the jobs requiring people to work, “do not provide the means necessary to provide healthcare” (Grusky, 2021). The post also emphasises workers who are immunodeficient and have no choice but to not work, or else they face getting ill. Healthcare in the United States is impacted by employers who offer healthcare to their employees, however, it is a complicated predicament to be unemployed, thus uninsured, which then highlights the population of working class people that are disproportionately at risk.

Example #3

Source tweet: @GHS twitter, 2 March 2021 https://twitter.com/GHS/status/1351576448927215618?s=20 This tweet explains how congruence is not working. Public policies have not congruent with the corona virus's severity. It is scientifically proven that masks, social distancing, and avoiding large gatherings will slow the corona virus's spread. It has now been a year since the pandemic started, and everyone wants normalcy but has failed to follow public policies laid out to keep them safe, and many public policies are being lifted and or weakened as cases spike.

Example #4:

  The World Health Organization (WHO) has a strong influence within global medical issues, and with one hundred ninety four member states involved, they are able to extend their outreach to many unique communities and struggling individuals. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, they have taken a strong stance in personal protection, but also global safety, as they have continuously advocated for basic human health rights to be met. This Instagram post by the WHO account is an excellent example of Common Purpose as the organization utilizes its respected presence to assert that all individuals are susceptible to COVID-19, and the only way affected nations will be able to combat this deadly virus is by collectively protecting one another and staying healthy. There is also a call for a higher need of Collaboration, as all members of the world should unify in this current fight against COVID-19, but WHO’s powerful statement, “viruses don’t discriminate and neither should we,” ultimately demonstrates how this global organization recognizes the large amount of discriminations within established healthcare systems. Through defining our Common Purpose, which is COVID-19, and Collaborating with those around us, a greater amount of change will be achieved, and systematic discriminations will finally be addressed.

(World Health Organization [@WHO]. 2021, February 1. Today is #ZeroDiscrimination Day. ANYONE can contract #COVID19 regardless of race, gender, age or other personal qualities. We need solidarity, NOT stigma in fighting against the spread of COVID-19 [Instagram Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/p/CL42q1uj4bP/?igshid=1bz20d7urutwb. )

Resources Komives, S. R. (2017). Leadership for a better world: Understanding the social change model of leadership development. Jossey-Bass.

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Video Review

https://youtu.be/GQDi8XtVBGc 

This video goes through racial disparities within the Multnomah and Washington counties in Oregon. They state that the Latino community consists of 12% of the total population in the area, but makes up 26% of total COVID-19 cases, while 69% of the population is white and makes up only 43% of cases. There are clear racial inequalities and it has been recognized and acknowledged by the Oregon Health Authority. An Oregon health official says, “I want to acknowledge the failings of OHA’s, and including my own, that have contributed to [racial disparities]. OHA will do better. I will do better. We have to.” They promise to meet with the leaders of communities of color, improve race and ethnicity data, create more accessibility to testing, treatment, and services and prioritize vulnerable communities for vaccines. We are a long way from attaining equality, but officials are starting to recognize the problems within the healthcare system, and are taking progressive actions to hopefully work towards a sustainable solution. 

Resources

Oregon’s Covid-19 racial disparity. (2020). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQDi8XtVBGc&feature=youtu.be.

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Scholarly Research Review

Summary Article #1: The article “COVID-19 and Racial/Ethnic Disparities'' explains how COVID-19, a deadly and infectious disease from SARS-CoV-2, has brought to light the many healthcare disparities and inequalities our healthcare systems have. According to the authors, “The most pervasive disparities are observed among African American and Latino individuals, and where data exist, American Indian, Alaska Native, and Pacific Islander populations' ' (M. Hooper, AM. Nápoles, EJ. Pérez-Stable, 2020). While the disease itself is disproportionately affecting these minority populations due to poor/no health insurance, little availability/access, as well as general living conditions, the hospital’s rollout of vaccines is also disproportionate and has many disparities when it comes to the minority population. The article concludes with the hope that “The pandemic presents a window of opportunity for achieving greater equity in the health care of all vulnerable populations'' (M. Hooper, AM. Nápoles, EJ. Pérez-Stable, 2020).

Questions Article #1: Healthcare professionals have looked into the various underlying causes of racial disparity among minority groups and individuals. They have intensively researched the socio-economic status and even biological or genetic factors that might have contributed to the overwhelming rate of African American and Latino COVID-19 cases in areas such as Chicago and New York. In the article titled, “COVID-19 and Racial/Ethnic Disparities”, the authors state that “As more data emerge, there will likely be evidence of racial/ethnic health disparities due to differential loss of health insurance, poorer quality of care, inequitable distribution of scarce testing and hospital resources, the digital divide, food insecurity, housing insecurity, and work-related exposures.” These are all common factors that are brought up by professionals over and over again that describe the racial inequity in our healthcare system during the pandemic. We need to not only address these concerns, but we also need to confront the systematic racism within minority communities in order to see substantial progress.

Summary Article #2: The Article "Historical Insights on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the 1918 Influenza Pandemic, and Racial Disparities: Illuminating a Path Forward" highlights the toll pandemics have had on communities of color throughout history. According to health equity researchers and historians of medicine and public health, "The United States has a long history of racial and socioeconomic disparities, with the current pandemic further revealing the rifts created by historical injustice, structural racism, and interpersonal bias." Past racial disparities that affect communities of color continue to be disregarded to this day with the limitation of statistics and race-stratified data, that once interpreted carefully, would help in "addressing the cause of inequity rather than perpetuating stigma and discrimination."

Question Article #2: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has wreaked havoc on ethnic minority groups and exacerbating longstanding gaps in access to and treatment of health care. Physicians and public health experts have looked back in history for information on how to cope with this epidemic, especially from a massive outbreak that happened around a century ago - 1918 influenza. Only a few reports of the 1918 influenza pandemic and COVID-19, on the other hand, mention race. However, there is a significant body of literature on race and infectious disease as a sampling method for social research. The historical arc of the 1918 influenza pandemic is discussed in their commentary. Focusing on Black African Americans and explaining the nuanced and often unexpected ways in which it worked, eliciting unique responses both within a minority group and through ethnic, sociopolitical, and public health systems. Shifting from this historical perspective to the current, this report takes a resilience-based approach to racial health inequalities rather than a deficit-based approach, which presents a roadmap for tackling the COVID-19 epidemic and its implications through the prism of health equity.

Conclusion: Both articles are extremely beneficial towards the continuous study of the effects COVID-19 has on minority communities and the healthcare services they receive. In the article titled COVID-19 and Racial/Ethnic Disparities by Monica Webb Hooper, Anna María Nápoles, and Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, we are fortunate to have access to the current socio-economic, biological/genetic factors and data that have contributed to the higher level of healthcare disparities. Examining the current systematic and social issues that have detrimental effects on marginalized communities is extremely valuable in the study and argument which fights for an equitable healthcare system. However, the other article titled Historical Insights on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the 1918 Influenza Pandemic, and Racial Disparities: Illuminating a Path Forward by Lakshmi Krishnan, Michelle Ogunwole, and Lisa A. Cooper creates a greater call for attention towards past pandemics, such as the 1918 influenza, which illuminates past racial disparities that may be overlooked, yet devastating, today. Fortunately, while both outlooks on the current issues of racial/ethnic disparities in healthcare may be different, the concluding support of these six medical professionals towards bringing change within the United States is astounding. Utilizing this information and vast data sets will help broaden the narrative of the struggling minorities in American society, ultimately creating more solutions for the United States’ healthcare system.

References

 Lakshmi Krishnan, S. Michelle Ogunwole, & Lisa A. Cooper. (2020). Historical Insights on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the 1918 Influenza Pandemic, and Racial Disparities: Illuminating a Path Forward. Annals of Internal Medicine. https://doi.org/10.7326/M20-2223

Monica Webb Hooper, P. (2020, June 23). COVID-19 and Racial/Ethnic Disparities. Retrieved from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2766098

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Social Change in Media

Podcast Link: 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-white-coat/id1507383813?i=1000479417487

Podcast Summary:

In the Beyond the White Coat podcast titled “Racial Health Disparities: How COVID-19 Magnified a Public Health Emergency,” with David Skorton, MD, AAMC President and CEO, and Malika Fair, MD, MPH, Senior Director of Health Equity Partnerships and Programs at the AAMC, they discuss how COVID-19 has amplified and brought to light the racism within the healthcare system. In America, the COVID-19 outbreak has exacerbated health inequalities in a very drastic manner that inequality is now seen as a threat to the health of all communities of color. At the beginning of the podcast, Malika brings up the statistic that the black community is 13% of the national population, but is 24% of COVID-19 related deaths in the United States. It was revealed that these statistics are a result of chronic conditions and social factors; However, Malika Fair further expands on this claim by explaining how even if factors that contributed to the disproportionate statistics were controlled, structural racism will continue to have a detrimental impact on marginalized communities of color. We see some cities across the nation, such as Memphis and Philadelphia that testing sites do not have enough testing supplies or enough testing sites in communities of color. One example of a social setback that minorities in the United States face is the uneven representation in essential job positions, and as this further restricts people of color from abiding by social distancing protocols, there is an increase in COVID deaths in minority communities. Although now there is a national understanding that grocery, transportation, garbage, etc. workers are essential, Malika Fair continues to examine the initial reaction United States citizens had towards these workers: “In the beginning of the pandemic, there was a huge push to make sure that healthcare workers had the appropriate personal protective equipment, but who was left out of that discussion were the people who were also at the front lines, helping you wish your groceries” (Skorton, 2020). 

Song Link: 

https://youtu.bIt'll change if we face ite/ulqyG0DbAGA

“I Cry” - Usher Summary & Analysis: 

The song “I Cry” by Usher expresses the deep pain and frustration that is coming from a system of oppression and systemic racism. This song also talks about the need to come together and bring change. Usher begins the song, explaining how he is struggling with how to handle everything that is happening in this world, 

“...I see struggle, I see pain

I see only the mess we made

I see things that I can't change...” (Usher)

Many of us who are in tune with the pain and struggle of our communities, and the communities around us, can get overwhelmed, unable to see past all the brokenness and hurt, just as Usher is singing. But as the song progresses, he looks into the mirror, to reflect on himself and his emotions,

“...Do I see someone that cares for others?

Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no

Do I love myself more than my sisters (sisters)

And brothers? (Brothers)

I don't know…” (Usher).

Progress, leadership, and change must begin with ourselves before we can even begin to lead and make a change with others. With this self-reflection in the song, Usher begins to move beyond the initial feelings of being overwhelmed and begins to say how he will fight for change. 

“...So I'll fight

For the future we're making

It'll change if we face it

'Cause these tears won't dry...” (Usher).

The line “It'll change if we face it” (Usher) is one of the most important lines, in my opinion, of this song. We must face things to make a significant change. If we cannot stand up and face the issues that are hurting our communities, then change cannot happen. This song shows the emotional stages people can go through when approaching social change, it is collaborative, difficult, and it can at some points be overwhelming. But if we continue to move past the struggles and the pain, and build a better future for the generations to come, we can begin to make good and positive change. 

Resources

Usher - I Cry (Official Video). (2020). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulqyG0DbAGA.

Skorton, D. (Host). (2020, June 24). Racial Health Disparities: How 

COVID-19 Magnified a Public Health Emergency [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-white-coat/id1507383813?i=1000479417487.

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Interviews With Field Experts

Introduction:

After doing further research, examining the stakeholders within healthcare systems reveals additional evidence that supports why minorities, marginalized individuals, and low-income families are at greater risk for experiencing medical disparities. Some major stakeholders are patients, physicians, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical firms, and while each role has an influence on the care and quality of treatment received from providers, insurance companies and pharmaceutical firms ultimately have an unmatched power in the healthcare industry and benefit from the healthcare disparities minorities face.

Karline Klecker, Manager of Practice Operations-Asante Family Medicine and Neurology Services

Summary:

Karline Klecker is the Manager of Practice Operations for Family Medicine and Neurology Services, White City, and has worked at Asante for 5 years. She has had many years of experience with healthcare services and understands the ins-and-outs of the system from a managerial perspective. Although the Family Medicine clinic in White City doesn’t have a large diversity in their patients, we still got a good insight on where someone can go if they are experiencing injustice in the healthcare system.

According to Karline Klecker, the Practice Manager for Asante Family Medicine, there are many issues within the system regarding healthcare accessibility, racial disparity, and patient support. She said that “I believe social determinants and access to care have a significant impact … Patients being able to have insurance and resources to care is key” (Klecker, 2021). Karline Klecker states that she has not personally witnessed any healthcare Injustices in her career. The lack of diverse patients in her workplace plays a considerable role.

Answers:

Have you personally witnessed any examples of injustice in healthcare? 

No.

What do you think the leading underlying issue is that is causing a racial disparity in healthcare?

 believe social determinants and access to care have a significant impact. I also believe that if patients don’t have insurance benefits due to cost preventative HealthCare can be overseen or missed. Patients being able to have insurance and resources to care is key. In Primary Care we provide our patients with a Care Team approach. The PCP (Primary Care Provider), Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Resource Coordinator, RN Care Manager all play instrumental roles in supporting the patient. 

What do you think should happen to create a better/more accessible system for all people especially in regards to minorities? 

Continued efforts to support the Primary Care Providers to allow them to give support to patients from a Care Team Approach. Proactive outreach to low minority areas would be key. Currently the Oregon Health Authority is asking all clinicians to ask patients a series of social determinant questions upon patient check in to help the state determine where resources can be allocated. This is a good first start. You can check out the website below to see the why behind these questions.

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/COMMUNICABLEDISEASE/REPORTINGCOMMUNICABLEDISEASE/Pages/REAL-D-Collection-Toolkit.aspx#:~:text=REALD%20is%20an%20effort%20to%20increase%20and%20standardize,programs%20that%20collect%2C%20record%2C%20and%20report%20demographic%20data 

What should local and federal governments be expected to do to improve medical experiences? 

Medical Offices are required to ask for Patient Experience Data. Two areas of focus at Asante are Patient Experience and Patient Perception to Access. Patient experience is measured by CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) https://www.investopedia.com/terms/u/us-centers-medicare-and-medicaid-services-cms.asp 

What should the future of healthcare look like, in your opinion? 

Increasing patients' access to care. More Primary Care Providers and Specialists to help serve our patients.

In your opinion, what can be done on an individual based level to take leadership of this issue of racial disparity in the healthcare system? 

Training of social determinants to Healthcare Staff.

Do you know of any resources that can help people who have trouble with attaining healthcare, especially during the pandemic? 

I would recommend reaching out to Oregon Health Authority or Local Health officials.

Rebecca Leggett, DNP, FNP-C

Summary:

Rebecca Leggett is a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) at Asante Family Medicine in White City, Oregon. She has been on the front line for many years, which makes her a good resource for finding information about the injustices in the system, and about healthcare in general.

Rebecca Leggett says that she has witnessed examples of injustice in the past, but not as of recent. Her experiences show the struggles of people not being able to access healthcare providers “due to lack of providers in rural areas” (R. Leggett 2021). On the flip side, she has also witnessed those who seem to abuse the system, such as needless ambulance rides and prescription refills with the help of Medicaid. 

Answers:

Have you personally witnessed any examples of injustice in healthcare?

Yes, but not recently. When I was working in South Texas. People having to drive hours to see a provider due to lack of providers in rural areas.  People with Medicaid were provided care that was essentially free to them, and they knew it and abused it (i.e. coming to the ER to get a prescription for Tylenol or Benadryl and riding in an ambulance to do so) but very costly for those with private insurance.  Nobody seemed to care that this was happening. I also have seen providers being judgmental/jaded against those with perceived drug abuse-when it is a gene-drug interaction and the patient cannot metabolize the medication.

What do you think the leading underlying issue is that is causing a racial disparity in healthcare?

Lack of healthcare literacy and funding. It’s not a priority in primary schools. Generational cycles of abuse and fear of “getting turned in” for those with drug abuse or for domestic violence cases. Lack of providers willing to work in these areas. Education systems that are inadequate to help generate providers who are of the same ethnicity. It is difficult for Caucasian providers to go into areas where they are the minority and build trust with the population.

What do you think should happen to create a better/more accessible system for all people especially in regards to minorities?

Honestly, more competent providers who are willing to go into the areas of greatest need. Mobile vans that could travel into areas with lack of providers. Team based approaches that include social workers and visiting nurses. Increasing the federal funding to the health corp in order to improve the numbers of providers that would be funneled to these low income areas.  I do not believe that socialization of medicine is the answer and that it does drive up costs in other ways-particularly driving providers out of practice-no one who has spent a decade of training wants to get out and work for very little pay.

What should local and federal governments be expected to do to improve medical experiences?

LET HEALTHCARE RUN HEALTHCARE- Government should be supportive, but back off dictating to us how to do our jobs. They should also intervene with insurance companies and regulate costs that they charge people for insulin, vaccinations, medicines, procedures. 

In your opinion, what can be done on an individual based level to take leadership of this issue of racial disparity in the healthcare system?

Continue being available to help. Volunteer to give vaccines or be available to educate those that are concerned about getting the virus.

Do you know of any resources that can help people who have trouble with attaining healthcare, especially during the pandemic?

Local healthcare departments can help connect people to resources. People that need healthcare services have to seek out the help-it’s not just going to walk in their front door.  Sometimes it takes sacrifice-i.e. being willing to give up smoking to pay for their medication for example.

References

Sadeghi, L. (2020, July 20). Addressing racial health disparities in the covid-19 pandemic:

Immediate and long-term policy solutions: Health affairs blog. Retrieved February 11, 2021, from https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20200716.620294/full/ 

National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, N. (2020). Health equity

considerations and racial and ethnic minority groups. Retrieved February 11, 2021, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/health-equity/race-ethnicity.html

OHA, O. (2021). REALD reporting FOR COVID-19 Encounters. Retrieved February 11, 2021, from

https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/DISEASESCONDITIONS/COMMUNICABLEDISEASE/REPORTINGCOMMUNICABLEDISEASE/Pages/REAL-D-Collection-Toolkit.aspx#:~:text=REALD%20is%20an%20effort%20to%20increase%20and%20standardize,programs%20that%20collect%2C%20record%2C%20and%20report%20demographic%20data

Kagan, J. (2021, January 25). Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved

February 11, 2021, from https://www.investopedia.com/terms/u/us-centers-medicare-and-medicaid-services-cms.asp

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Article Reviews

Group 6: Ryan Fahlman-Katler, Kelsi Senger, Kwizera Liliane, Victor Chavez, Hannah Joseph 

UNST 242A

5 February 2021

NYT article summary:

The New York Times article addresses the impacts the pandemic has had on poor vs. rich neighborhoods. Pacoima county, a predominantly Latino neighborhood, has the highest rising cases in the United States. Five times the rate of COVID cases compared to wealthier and whiter neighborhoods in Los Angeles. More affluent neighborhoods can afford to take sick days and properly isolate themselves. Simultaneously, more impoverished people live with more bodies and work as service workers where they interact with many people throughout the day. Many people they encounter are not following social distancing rules and refuse to wear masks, which puts them in danger. At the end of the article, Mr. Padilla, the senator, says, “We get locked in these conversations about, well, someone does not wear a mask. We are almost a year into this, and part of me worries we have not learned as much as we should have.”

NYT Bias: The New York Times does have a left-leaning bias, and even the news outlet acknowledges this reputation. The tone and vocabulary throughout many New York Times articles promote more liberal ideologies and policies, and there are many examples of this language within the examined article. When speaking about the Los Angeles lockdowns, the author describes them as, “some of the nation’s most stringent, credited with saving thousands of lives,” and while this may be true, many conservative viewpoints regarding the pandemic are not acknowledged or discussed throughout the work. Regardless of what may be true or false regarding the spread of COVID-19, this New York Times article focuses on masks and containing the virus through lockdowns while expanding on the detrimental effects this pandemic has had on Los Angeles communities. While the goal of this New York Times article is to promote COVID-19 safety and push against the reopening of communities plagued by the virus, opposing conservative standpoints are ultimately more focused on the economical and social long term effects of the virus. 

Fox Article Summary:

The fox article, Sen. Warren, Dems propose legislation to declare racism a public health crisis, speaks about how Democrats “...introduced legislation to declare structural racism a public health crisis and to create a federal government center to tackle racial disparities in health care for Black communities and other minorities” (Schults, 2020). This article has little commentary from Schults herself, instead, it is mostly a compilation of quotes from democrats speaking about this issue. The main issue that the democrats are trying to address is that COVID-19 is affecting people of color at higher rates than white people. This paired with the racial disparities in the health system cause major issues for the minority populations. The article ends with a quote from the President of the African American Mayors Association, “‘Many don’t equate racism with health care, but countless African Americans and people of color have lost their lives as a result of being denied quality health care," ..."We must address the systemic racism that’s rampant in our healthcare network, and collecting data on the problem is a good first step."’

Fox News Bias:

According to many fact-checking websites, Fox News is a very right-leaning source. Their views are not easily found on the actual website, but if you take a second you can easily spot bias with headlines such as “‘Stunning hypocrisy’ for Biden administration to push back against the CDC’s approval to open schools: Farah”, or “Biden makes case for $1.9T coronavirus relief plan, calls bypassing Republicans 'an easy choice’”. A statement given by mediabiasfactcheck.com says, “Overall, we rate Fox News strongly Right-Biased due to editorial positions and story selection that favors the right. We also rate them Mixed factually and borderline Questionable based on poor sourcing and the spreading of conspiracy theories that later must be retracted after being widely shared. Further, Fox News would be rated a Questionable source based on numerous failed fact checks by hosts and pundits, however, straight news reporting is generally reliable, therefore we rate them Mixed for factual reporting.” So my advice is to double-check your facts if you see something provided by Fox News so you avoid false or misleading information.

Conclusion: 

The two articles demonstrate two varying perspectives regarding the COVID-19 virus amongst minoritized populations. Both articles emphasize policies that have a detrimental impact on minorities. The manner in which the pandemic and its solutions are publicly portrayed impact public opinion and what the public can do with that information. 

References

Cowan, J., & Bloch, M. (2021, January 30). In L.A., the virus IS PUMMELING those who can 

least afford to fall ill. Retrieved February 05, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/01/29/us/los-angeles-county-covid-rates.html

Schultz, M. (2020, September 03). Sen. Warren, Dems propose legislation to declare racism a 

public health crisis. Retrieved February 05, 2021, from https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sen-warren-dems-propose-center-on-anti-racism-in-health

“Fox News - Media Bias/Fact Check.” Media Bias/Fact Check, 2017, 

mediabiasfactcheck.com/fox-news/.

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Healthcare Inequalities Magnified by Pandemics

By Group 6:  Ryan Fahlman-Katler, Hannah Joseph, Liliane Kwizera, Victor Chavez, Kelsi Senger 

Throughout our time living with the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the government officials have spoken out saying things such as “that we are ‘all in it together’ and that the COVID-19 virus ‘does not discriminate'’” (Bambra C, Riordan R, Ford J, Matthews F, 2020). Although we all may be facing some sort of hardship, be that in our jobs, family life, education, or just a major change in our daily routines, the COVID-19 pandemic does not affect us all the same. Many times throughout the history of humanity have we faced pandemics such as the one we are facing today and those in our community were also disproportionately affected by it as well. For example “In 1931, Edgar Sydenstricker outlined inequalities by socio-economic class in the 1918 Spanish influenza epidemic in America, reporting a significantly higher incidence among the working classes.” (Bambra C, Riordan R, Ford J, Matthews F, 2020). 

In these blog posts, we will cover the issues that we face in our systems today, what deeper systemic problems have led to these current issues, and what we believe we can do to begin the process of healing the broken systems and communities who live within them.

In order to acquire a deeper level of understanding of how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected minority groups in the United States, we need to look at the patterns and evidence given to us by previous outbreaks. The Swine flu was a widespread virus that swept across the nation much like COVID-19 in 2009. The Center of Disease Control (CDC) released an article in September of 2009 that stated 33% of deaths among U.S. children were among Hispanics, and between April and August 50% of child deaths belonged to African-American and Hispanics (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009). These are higher percentages than the group populations in the country. According to the New York Daily News article released October 6th, 2009, there have been many studies from health departments around the country that suggest a wider view on how this has affected minority groups (Gonzalez, 2009). We need to recognize and accept these problems in order to create a plan of action to help the minority groups in our country get the assistance they need to stay safe.  

There are many aspects of life that have a direct impact on marginalized minority communities, and after interpreting the data from past pandemics and our current reality, the mistreatment of these individuals within society are exposed. Social factors, such as living in densely populated areas, are a harsh reality for many minority families, and this proves to be an issue as there are fewer social distancing opportunities. Additionally, since many people of color have jobs deemed as essential and cannot be done remotely, their increased exposure to the COVID-19 virus no longer becomes an individual issue but rather one for their community as a whole.  Furthermore, when these jobs are reluctant to offer insurance, people of color are expected to deal with the consequence of getting sick on their own.  By understanding how marginalized individuals initially come into contact with COVID-19, it becomes easier to understand their shortfallings within the medical world. This is only one example of a healthcare inequality that is a result of unequal accessibility, educational/income/wealth gaps, occupational disparities, lack of affordable housing and general discrimination (Health Equity Considerations and Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups, 2020). 

A key aspect in improving the inequality in health care for minorities is to reach out and support different organizations that specialize in this subject. One resource that I have found is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (OMH). Their main initiative is “to raise awareness on efforts aimed at reducing health and health care disparities and advancing health equity” (Office of Minority Health, N.D.). They have many resources such as COVID-19 relief, HHS Sickle Cell disease initiative, supporting states, territories, and tribes in identifying and sustaining health equity-promoting policies, programs, and practices, along with many more. 

The second resource we found very helpful is the National Alliance for Hispanic Health. Their vision is stated as “Strong healthy communities whose contributions are recognized by a society that fosters the health, well-being, and prosperity of all its members.” Along with the HHS, they provide many great resources in the areas of COVID-19, mental health, and recovery. We highly recommend looking more into these organizations and helping in any way you can, because everyone deserves the right to stay healthy. 

Presently, COVID-19 has repeatedly revealed how the virus still has an impact amongst minoritized populations. The results consistently demonstrate that minorities are actually experiencing the greatest burden of COVID-19 throughout each point, from the risk of infection, access to care, the seriousness of the disease, and finally mortality, when you look at the increased body of data. NPR reports, “A number of African Americans continued to get infected and die from COVID-19 at rates more than 1.5 times their share of the population [and]...In states like Missouri, Kansas, Wisconsin, and Michigan, African Americans are dying at a rate more than 2.5 times their share of the state” (Wood, 2020, pg.2). It is very apparent that there hides an inequality in access to healthcare. It’s not luck that’s keeping predominantly white counties from increased COVID-19 cases - there's a systemic issue that's underlying all of this.

Overall, minority groups have been disproportionately affected by pandemics due to low income, inability to seek help due to fear of inquiring debt, and the underlying systemic issue of inequality of health care accessibility. Much work needs to be done to ensure everyone is provided with resources to help them during these challenging times. There needs to be an assurance that minority groups are provided affordable HealthCare, COVID-19 resources, and mental and recovery resources. 

                                                    References

Bambra, Clare, Riordan, Ryan, Ford, John, & Matthews, Fiona. (2020). The COVID-19 pandemic and health inequalities. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health (1979), 74(11), 964–968. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2020-214401

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2009, September 4). 2009 H1N1 Flu Situation Update September 4, 2009, 11:00 AM ET. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/updates/090409.htm. 

Gonzalez, J. (2009, October 6). Swine flu's bigger impact on blacks and Hispanics is not being addressed. nydailynews.com.  https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/swine-flu-bigger-impact-blacks-hispanics-not-addressed-article-1.381074. 

Health Equity Considerations and Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups. (2020, July 24). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/health-equity/race-ethnicity.html

Office of Minority Health. Home Page - Office of Minority Health (OMH).  https://www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov/. 

Washington, DC: National Alliance for Hispanic Health: COVID-19. Healthy Americas.  https://www.healthyamericas.org/. 

Wood, D. (2020, September 23). As Pandemic Deaths Add Up, Racial Disparities Persist - And In Some Cases Worsen. Retrieved January 28, 2021, from https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/09/23/914427907/as-pandemic-deaths-add-up-racial-disparities-persist-and-in-some-cases-worsen