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Culminating Experience Final Paper

Dionne Galloway

MPH 690: Culminating Experience

Culminating Experience Final Paper

Professor Robert Carter

Los Angeles Pacific University

August 17, 2020

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Culminating Experience Final Paper
Abstract:

COVID-19 also referred to as the Coronavirus, has impacted everyone across the globe in

one way or another. Whether it be temporary shutdowns, financial hardships due to loss of work,

not being able to see loved ones, testing positive for the virus, or losing a family member or a

friend to the virus; we have all been impacted. However, though we have all been impacted,

communities of color continue to be disproportionately impacted by the virus. According to the

CDC, “long-standing systematic health and social inequalities have put many people from racial

and ethnic minority groups at increased risk of getting sick and dying from Covid-19” (CDC,

2020). This paper seeks to find answers to why people of color are at greater risk of contracting

and dying from the Coronavirus, and find solutions on how to slow the high rates of the virus in

communities of color, as well as come up with more permanent fixes so that communities of

color are well-prepared in the event of another public health emergency.

Introduction/Background:

Covid-19 has had a drastic impact all across the globe. In the United States alone there

are currently 5,285,546 total Corona Virus Cases and 167,546 confirmed deaths. To fully

understand this virus, it is important to note how it first arrived in the United States. According

to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization was

notified of a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan City in China. On January 5th there were a

reported 59 cases that had resulted in death. Approximately 10 days later the WHO had been

notified of 282 more confirmed that span from Japan, South Korea, and Thailand (CDC, 2020).

The CDC states that the virus is thought to have, “originated in animals, probably bats, and was

transmitted to other animals before crossing into humans at the Huanan wet market in Wuhan

City. It is therefore possible that the virus passed into humans and then, through adaptation as it
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infected more people, mutated to acquire the characteristics that made it spread so quickly”

(CDC, 2020).

It is no surprise that this virus has affected individuals from every racial/ethnic, and

socioeconomic background. However, though that is the case, Covid-19 has impacted people of

color at a disproportionate rate compared to that of their white counterparts. An article published

by NPR found that, “nationally, African-American deaths from Covid-19 are nearly two times

greater than would be expected based on their share of the population. In four states, the rate is

three or more times greater. In 42 states plus Washington D.C. Hispanic/Latinos make up a

greater share of confirmed cases than their share of the population. In eight states, it’s more than

four times greater” (Godoy, 2020). Throughout this program, we have learned of the many health

care disparities people of color face. Covid-19 not only continues to highlight those disparities, it

also places an even wider health disparity gap between communities of color and their white

counterparts. An article published by the Kaiser Family Foundation suggest that, “the COVID-19

outbreak presents potential health and financial challenges for families that may

disproportionately affect communities of color and compound their existing disparities in health

and health care” (KFF, 2020).

There are numerous examples of predominately black communities being

disproportionately impacted by the Corona Virus, and data continues to support this claim. For

example, in Chicago Illinois where blacks are known to make up a third of the city’s population,

“they account for half of those who have tested positive for the Coronavirus, and almost three-

quarters of COVID-19 deaths” (Golden, 2020). Another example is the city of Milwaukee. Data

suggest that, “African Americans make up 70% of deaths due to the Coronavirus, but just 26% of

the County’s population” (Golden,2020). Blacks, however, are not the only community of color
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disproportionately impacted by this virus, data shows that Latin/Hispanic and Native American

communities are also gravely affected by this virus.

Methodology:

My main goal for my culminating experience was to figure out why communities of color

had a higher chance of not only contracting the virus, but also dying from it compared to their

white counterparts. To find the answer to this question I did a lot of research on social

determinants linked to these communities, which in turn is putting them at greater risk of coming

into contact with the virus. After doing extensive research I found that there are essentially 5 key

factors that put people of color at greater risk for this virus and those are : discrimination

healthcare access and Utilization, occupation, Educational, income, and wealth gaps, and

housing.

People of color have been discriminated against throughout history and that has had an

adverse impact on their health, especially in terms of COVID-19. According to the CDC,

“discrimination which includes racism, can lead to chronic and toxic stress and shapes social and

economic factors that put some people from racial and ethnic minority groups at increased risk

for Covid-19” (CDC, 2020). Discriminatory practices have the potential to put individuals at

greater risk of falling victim to covid-19. Ensuring that we are providing accurate information,

and not promoting stigmas and hate surrounding the virus are all great ways to help reduce the

spread of the virus.

Healthcare access and Utilization also have a huge impact on communities. The CDC

States that, “people from some racial and ethnic minority groups are more likely to be uninsured

than non-Hispanic Whites. Healthcare access can also be limited for these groups by many other

factors, such as lack of transportation, childcare, or ability to take time off of work” (CDC,
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2020). Being that this pandemic has impacted many people and their jobs, many people now find

themselves among the unemployed as well as uninsured. An article posted by the New England

Journal of Medicine suggest that, “about half of Americans receive health coverage through their

employer, and with record numbers filing for unemployment insurance, millions find themselves

without health insurance in the midst of the largest pandemic in a century. Even those who

maintain insurance coverage may find care unaffordable” (King, 2020). Reforming our

healthcare system is crucial. Lack of healthcare access is one of the leading causes of health care

disparities in the United States. Ensuring that everyone is given access to healthcare no matter

their race and socioeconomic status is one way we can work towards closing the disparity gap,

alongside making sure that individuals are able to see their health care providers to help prevent

and protect them from COVID-19.

Many people of color also make up the essential work force and are therefore at greater

risk of being exposed to COVID-19. Data shows that, “people of color make up the majority of

essential workers in food and agriculture (50%) and in industrial, commercial, residential

facilities and services (53%)” (Poydock, 2020). It is crucial that policymakers work towards

implementing rules and regulations that protect essential workers and provide them with all the

proper resources that allow for them to reduce their chances of being diagnosed with COVID-19.

Education, income, and wealth gaps also help contribute to the higher prevalence rate of

COVID-19 in communities of color. The CDC suggest that, “inequalities in access to high-

quality education for some racial and ethnic minority groups can lead to lower school completion

rates and barriers to college entrance. This may limit future job options and lead to lower paying

or less stable jobs” (CDC, 2020).

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Lastly there is the housing problem. In some racial and ethnic minority groups it is

common for there to be numerous individuals in the same living quarters. This in turn can make

following prevention strategies very difficult. Studies show that, “growing and disproportionate

unemployment rates for some racial and ethnic minority groups during the COVID-19 pandemic

may lead to greater risk of eviction and homelessness or sharing of housing” (CDC, 2020).

Policymakers need to work on putting policies in place that protect landlords and tenants due to

hardships as a result of COVID-19. Evicting people, only put them at greater risk of contracting

as well as spreading the virus, and we need to ensure that we are doing every we can to protect

all members of society.

Many people have lost their lives to COVID-19, and in many situations’ death could have

been a preventable. Disparities in healthcare should not be taken lightly. As we are seeing in

present day, they have a detrimental impact on disadvantaged communities. This pandemic has

changed life as we know it, and the fact that people of color are not only contracting the disease

at far higher rates than that of their white counterparts but are also dying at higher rates should

signal a systemic issue in our current healthcare system.

Conclusion:

As a public health official, I feel that it is our job to advocate for communities whose

voices are often not heard and overlooked. Making sure that we have fair housing policies, more

employment opportunities, as well as solutions to bridge the wealth gap among people of color

are all steps that can and should be taken to ensure that people of color are able to achieve more

positive health outcomes if and when the next public health emergency takes place. Throughout

this MPH program the one thing that has stood out to me the most is the golden rule that we

should all live by. That rule is to treat others the way we wish to be treated. Everyone deserves to
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have equal opportunities and resources that allow for them to live up to their potential as well as

to achieve positive health outcomes. This Culminating experience has opened my eyes to how

lack of resources can and most certainly will always have negative impacts on the affected

communities. The fact that communities of color, particularly blacks are up to 3 times more

likely to die of COVID-19, should raise red flags (Sandoiu, 2020)

If we do not acknowledge and fix the social determinants that continuously place

communities of color at greater risk of having underlying health conditions, that then place them

in the high-risk category of developing COVID-19, people of color will continue to die at higher

rates than that of their white counterparts. Understanding systematic racism and how it plays

into health disparities is key in reducing the high rates of COVID-19 cases within communities

of color. As stated in an article written by Medical News Today, “experts have been saying for

years that we need to tackle systematic racism and the toll it takes on the health of communities

of color” (Sandoiu, 2020). Being that there is still a lot of unknowns on the virus, there is still a

lot of data still needed to be able to do more in depth research. However, one fact that remains

undisputed is the fact that communities of color are impacted at far higher rates than whites.

Combating systematic racism is a key factor in reducing health care disparities seen in our health

care system. When we are able to tackle systematic racism, we will be able to reduce the amount

of preventable disease and deaths found in communities of color and implement policies that

allow for them to make more informed decisions on their health and achieve more positive health

outcomes.
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References:

Artiga, S., Garfield, R., & Orgera, K. (2020, April 08). Communities of Color at Higher Risk for
Health and Economic Challenges due to COVID-19. Retrieved August 15, 2020, from
https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/communities-of-color-at-higher-
risk-for-health-and-economic-challenges-due-to-covid-19/

Chaplin, S. (2020, May 21). COVID‐19: A brief history and treatments in development.
Retrieved August 15, 2020, from
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/psb.1843

C. (2020, July 24). Health Equity Considerations and Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups.
Retrieved August 16, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-
ncov/community/health-equity/race- ethnicity.html#:~:text=In%20some%20cultures
%2C%20it%20is,homelessness%20or%2 0sharing%20of%20housing.

C. (2020, August 15). Cases in the U.S. Retrieved August 15, 2020, from
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html

Godoy, M., & Wood, D. (2020, May 30). What Do Coronavirus Racial Disparities Look Like
State By State? Retrieved August 15, 2020, from https://www.npr.org/sections/health-
shots/2020/05/30/865413079/what-do-coronavirus-racial-disparities-look-like-state-by-0
state

Gold, S. (2020, April 20). Coronavirus in African Americans and Other People of Color.
Retrieved August 15, 2020, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-

and-diseases/coronavirus/covid19-racial-disparities

King, J. S. (2020). Covid-19 and the Need for Health Care Reform. New England Journal of
Medicine, 382(26). doi:10.1056/nejmp2000821

Sandoiu, A. (2020, June 5). Racial inequalities in COVID-19 — the impact on black
communities. Retrieved August 16, 2020, from
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/racial-inequalities-in-covid-19-the-impact-
on-black-communities
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Wen, L. S., & Sadeghi, N. B. (2020, July 20). Addressing Racial Health Disparities In The
COVID-19 Pandemic: Immediate And Long-Term Policy Solutions. Retrieved August
17, 2020, from https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20200716.620294/full/