Racism Declared a Public Health Emergency

Abstract

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.-Edmund Burke Vestal 1 asserted that being Black is bad for your health and the etiology of disparities in health care is pervasive racism. Disturbingly, African Americans are not the only historically marginalized group in the United States that experience racial injustice in health care. Persistent harm, poorer outcomes, and inequities are associated with the legacy of racism in health care delivery. Historically marginalized groups are socially vulnerable to external stressors due to racial oppression and discriminatory practices. And inequities, creating high socially vulnerable index communities 2,3 comprised primarily Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), and Latinx. These individuals experience harm through higher health risk exposures, unequal access to health services, and a lack of empowering resources. A body of evidence documents disparities to be rooted in racism and discriminatory health care practices and racism is embedded in structural and systemic inequities. 4,5 After accessing the health care system, BIPOC and Latinx individuals are more likely to receive substandard and/or disparate treatments due to health care providers' conscious and unconscious bias and discriminatory and culturally disconnected health care practices. 6,7

Identifying Holistic Nursing Research Priorities for 2023–2026

“…Priority 4: Understanding, Intervening in, and Reducing Health Inequities A primary goal of holistic nursing research is to address ways to eliminate health disparities within marginalized communities (e.g., black, indigenous, people of color [BIPOC], Latinx, LGBTQ+, veterans, ability challenged, addiction, homeless, and rural) particularly vulnerable to experiencing health disparities and inequities (Adeniran, 2023). Diversity, equity, and inclusion are clear values of holistic nursing and are shifting the landscape of population demographics, health workforce shortages, and identifying persistent health inequities limiting the healthcare goals of individuals (Adeniran, 2023). These inequities necessitate the preparation of nurses able to research aspects of social justice, systemic racism, and these pervasive inequities, particularly as they relate to the culture and ethnic diversity of all minority populations.…”

“…Racism, polarized politics, violence, natural disasters, school shootings, and poverty have also revealed the inequities found in healthcare (Adeniran, 2023; Zhou et al, 2022). Research is needed to understand the impact of these phenomenon and their effects of stress, trauma, isolation, suffering, despair, and physical, psychosocial, and spiritual pain on individuals and their caregivers who are dealing with acute and chronic illnesses across the lifespan.…”

“…A primary goal of holistic nursing research is to address ways to eliminate health disparities within marginalized communities (e.g., black, indigenous, people of color [BIPOC], Latinx, LGBTQ+, veterans, ability challenged, addiction, homeless, and rural) particularly vulnerable to experiencing health disparities and inequities (Adeniran, 2023). Diversity, equity, and inclusion are clear values of holistic nursing and are shifting the landscape of population demographics, health workforce shortages, and identifying persistent health inequities limiting the healthcare goals of individuals (Adeniran, 2023).…”