The Importance of Teaching History of Inequities in Public Health Programs

Abstract

Learning the history of inequities is typically not a major part of public health degree programs but can be fundamental to truly understanding health inequities and identifying potential solutions. A historical perspective on inequities can help understand present-day inequities as constructed over time, provide needed context for community engagement efforts, and help identify the system of advantages and disadvantages based on race, gender, and class that have been built into U.S. society. There are many ways to integrate a historical perspective on inequities into public health degree programs, and this article provides an example course on historical roots of health inequities. To more effectively reduce health inequities, it is imperative that Schools and Programs of Public Health adopt curriculum content to provide public health professionals and researchers a much-needed historical perspective on inequities.

Uncovering Historical Legacies to Contextualize Health Inequities in Puerto Rican Men: An Expansion of the Minority Stress Model

“…A recent article in Pedagogy in Health Promotion argues that public health degree programs do little to teach about the historical origins of health inequities (Fleming, 2020 ). Yet, the historical connections to present-day health inequities are crucial for understanding the root causes of suffering and therein informing multilevel interventions (Dozier and Munn, 2020 ; Fleming, 2020 ).…”

“…A recent article in Pedagogy in Health Promotion argues that public health degree programs do little to teach about the historical origins of health inequities (Fleming, 2020 ). Yet, the historical connections to present-day health inequities are crucial for understanding the root causes of suffering and therein informing multilevel interventions (Dozier and Munn, 2020 ; Fleming, 2020 ). An historical perspective is essential to illuminate that “present-day inequities in the United States were constructed over time” (Fleming, 2020 , p. 254), thereby strengthening both the analysis and approach to addressing disparities.…”

“…Yet, the historical connections to present-day health inequities are crucial for understanding the root causes of suffering and therein informing multilevel interventions (Dozier and Munn, 2020 ; Fleming, 2020 ). An historical perspective is essential to illuminate that “present-day inequities in the United States were constructed over time” (Fleming, 2020 , p. 254), thereby strengthening both the analysis and approach to addressing disparities. A historical lens helps to bolster a wider structural analysis to health disparities and takes the emphasis off of individual blame and choice (Fleming, 2020 ).…”

Developing an Antiracist Lens: Using Photography to Facilitate Public Health Critical Race Praxis in a Foundational MPH Course

“…The Council on Education for Public Health’s (CEPH; 2016) foundational competencies for public health professional trainees require that students “discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities, and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and societal levels” (p. 17). Efforts to promote public health professional students’ understanding of the historical roots of racism at the societal and community levels are critical components of meeting this CEPH standard (Fifolt & McCormick, 2020; Fleming, 2020; Merino, 2018), yet less attention has been given to the ways in which public health students’ individual identities contribute to their understanding of and participation in the systems and structures that contribute to health inequity.…”

Message From the Editor-in-Chief: Pedagogy for a Pandemic and Beyond

“…Harvey (2020) cogently argues that health promotion pedagogy must move beyond behavioral theory, and incorporate social theory to explain social phenomena. Fleming (2020) shows how a historical perspective can enhance students’ understanding of health inequities and how to address them. Poverty simulations deepen students’ awareness, attitudes, and understanding of poverty and prepare them to work with underserved communities (Thompson et al, 2020).…”