It is a global aim that every individual has access to quality health care regardless of society’s discriminatory factors. The emergence of the global COVID-19 pandemic has raised racial questions about how equitable access to quality health care has been upheld (Gerdes, 2008). This is due to statistics gathered on death rates caused by COVID-19 in the different states of the United States (Kendall, 2015). African Americans contribute to a quarter of the population in each state, yet on the pandemic death toll, they account for three-quarters of the individuals who succumb to death due to COVID-19 (Scott, 2012). This suggests inequality in the distribution of health care services on ethnic and racial grounds.
It is inarguable that the healthcare systems in the United States of America are still struggling to provide equitable services to all. The deaths of people of color caused by the global pandemic have left no choice but the rehabilitation of the healthcare systems in the different states (Gerdes, 2008). Racial disparities have also been proven to stall the rehabilitation of the healthcare systems in the United States (Kendall, 2015). Due to persisting disparities, COVID-19 has created a fast-expanding public health concern that disproportionately affects African Americans.
Discrimination and racism have long been associated with poor mental, emotional, and physical health (Kendall, 2015). Several studies have shown that African Americans are more likely to become infected with COVID-19 and more likely to suffer complications (Scott, 2012). African-Americans are more likely to contract COVID-19 than the general population because of the large percentage of service sector employment.
Some of the mitigated solutions to this problem entail:
- Identifying and prioritizing community-based public health and policy leaders.
- Developing community-based public health disaster literacy.
- Promoting culturally sensitive behavioral and mental health discussion.
References
Gerdes, J. (2008). A comparative look at the death penalty. Introsocsite: Introduction to sociology.
Kendall, D. (2015). Sociology in our times. (11th ed.) Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Scott, M. (2012). Think race and ethnicity. Boston, MA: PearsonÑŽ