Brief Summary of the Topic Discussed
At the “Addressing Health Disparities in the COVID-19 Pandemic,” event hosted by the American Public Health Association, attendees discussed how the COVID-19 infection has highlighted and aggravated existing health inequities in minority populations. Specifically, the event focused on how the contagion has underscored and magnified barriers to treatment related to the opioid epidemic. The panelists explored the influence that systemic racism and social determinants of health, such as poverty and limited access to healthcare, have on the disproportionate burden that COVID-19 places on communities of color and low-income societies in their discussions (APHA, 2021). They also explored various remedies and interventions to alleviate these inequities, such as boosting access to diagnostics and immunizations, addressing the social determinants of health, and tackling systematic racism in the healthcare industry.
The panel discussed the necessity of integrating community people and leaders in designing and enacting treatments, as well as the need to address underlying issues and implement targeted interventions when addressing inequity. In addition, it accentuated the importance of tackling medical imbalances by considering the intersectionality of various forms of marginalization. In the context of the COVID-19 epidemic, this webinar underlined how important it is to address both the social factors that affect health as well as the racism that permeates our society to reduce health inequalities.
Analysis of the Health Policy Issue and its Implications for Health Care
The event brought attention to the persistent problem of health disproportions in underserved communities and how the COVID-19 epidemic has contributed to the worsening of these inconsistencies. There is a syndemic of related social and economic policies and environmental components that generally work to the disadvantage of minority populations because of structural racism. These situations are not positioned among or generated by persons of the same race; rather, they are supported by structural behaviors that preserve the current quo, such as laws or practices and systemic disinvestment in economically disadvantaged communities. The systemic practices that sustain the status quo constitute the basis for these situations.
Historically, black people have been forced to live in areas with a high prevalence of physical and environmental risks, as there are fewer affordable housing options in low-income communities, leading to overpopulation. Overcrowded housing decreases the ability of residents to take preventative measures like maintaining social distancing, and it raises the likelihood of exposure to infectious diseases like COVID-19 (APHA, 2021). This demonstrates the need for health policy addressing these underlying factors to address the problem of health disparities efficiently. One of the potential remedies discussed was increasing access to diagnostic tests and prophylactic immunizations for underprivileged people. This includes focused initiatives in education, outreach, and addressing access constraints such as a lack of computer literacy and mobility.
To effectively reduce health disparities, it is essential to communicate social determinants of health, such as poverty and a lack of access to good food, housing, and transportation. This can be accomplished by implementing policies that expand Medicaid and increase financing for community health clinics. In addition to this, the speakers underlined the importance of addressing the pervasive racism that exists in the healthcare industry (APHA, 2021). This includes boosting the diversity of the workforce in the healthcare industry and providing cultural competency training for those who work in the healthcare field.
In addition, collecting and examining data based on race and ethnicity are vital steps in locating and correcting discrepancies. This event highlighted how important it is to address the social factors that affect health and the underlying racism that contributes to the health disparities that exist. The COVID-19 pandemic also brought to light the necessity of targeted measures, such as expanding access to testing and immunizations for underserved groups (APHA, 2021). Individuals may experience compounded health disparities due to the intersection of multiple identities, so it is essential to consider the intersectionality of various marginalized identities in addition to addressing these issues. Additionally, it is vital to involve community members and leaders in the creation and execution of intervention strategies to ensure that they are geared to the particular requirements and ethnic context of the society (APHA, 2021). This can be accomplished by involving community members and leaders in designing and implementing interventions.
There are still instances of discrimination, inequality, and civil rights violations in modern society. Unfortunately, a person’s complexion has a huge impact on how they are regarded, valued, and treated. It prevents many people from having the opportunity to participate fully in the future and expansion of this nation. Alarming discrepancies within the COVID-19 epidemic, including greater hospitalization and death rates among Black, Latinx, and Native populations, tragically emphasize the vital and immediate need to address the root causes of inequity. The American Public Health Association (APHA) presented a series of webinars to provide a more in-depth look at racism as a driving factor of health-related social factors and inequality.
Reference
APHA. (2021). COVID-19 Conversations. [Webinar]. American Public Health Association. Web.