Race and Racism and Health Equity: COVID-19 as an example.


Merle Jacobs, York University

Over the past few decades, there has been a significant increase in scientific research exploring the various ways in which racism can negatively impact ones health. This paper looks into Health Equity and how racism justifies a hierarchical system based on race, which deprives equal treatment because of one’s race. Health Equity is when “all people have the opportunity to attain their full health potential, and no one is disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of their social position or other socially determined circumstance” (Braveman, 2003. p.181). Racism is a complex issue, an ideology that refers to the presence of organized systems within societies that lead to avoidable and unfair inequalities in power, resources, capacities, and opportunities among different racial or ethnic groups. It can manifest in various forms, including beliefs, stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination. From overt threats and insults to deeply ingrained social structures, the effects of racism can be wide-ranging and profound. As a systematic issue, racism intertwines with other social institutions, influencing and being influenced by them in order to maintain and justify a hierarchical system based on race. This has led to the development of a complex and interdependent network of components, or subsystems, that work in tandem to perpetuate racial inequalities across various facets of society. The psychosocial stresses of racism can harm health among r minority groups. Several studies have found that as the number of incidents of ethnic discrimination that individuals have experienced increases, their physical and mental health deteriorates. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound worldwide impact, affecting individuals in diverse ways. The loss of employment has been widespread, and limitations on typical activities have resulted in prolonged separation from family and friends. A considerable portion of the global population has also experienced psychological distress due to the pandemic. Regrettably, certain groups, including younger adults, women, the poor, and individuals from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, have been disproportionately affected by the negative effects of COVID-19. Overall, racial and ethnic minorities in Canada have had higher rates of infection, hospital stays, and death caused by the COVID-19 virus than white Canadians. This paper explores how race affects outcomes relating to Health Equity.

This paper will be presented at the following session: