According to the Center for Diseases Control (CDC), health equity is achieved when every person has the opportunity to “attain his or her full health potential” and no one is “disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of social position or other socially determined circumstances.”
Health Equity in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic
The CDC reports that the racial and ethnic groups in the United States reel from disproportionately higher COVID-19 illness, hospitalization, and death rates compared to their white counterparts. The lack of access to healthcare services due to socioeconomic barriers is predominantly responsible for the disparities experienced by marginalized communities during the pandemic. Some of these barriers include poverty, housing, and occupation. Often, racial and ethnic minority groups also experience discrimination and racism that prevents them from obtaining fair opportunities that promote economic, physical, and emotional health.
Richmond City Health Department
So, What Can We Do?
The restriction put in place to control the spread of COVID-19 has changed the ways we connect and support each other. Due to the loss of social connectedness and the closure of public places such as schools, places of worship, and other organizations, there is a surge of unintended negative impacts on one’s emotional well-being. With a year being in the pandemic, it is vital to implement creative ways that allow individuals to have access to the support of their family, friends, faith-based organizations, and communities, even though they are physically apart.
To prevent the further spread of COVID-19, we must work together to ensure that people have resources to maintain and manage their physical and mental health. In the context of health equity, these resources include but are not limited to easy access to reliable information, affordable testing, vaccination, medical and mental health care. The issues of COVID-19 health disparities among marginalized individuals call for programs and practices that fit the communities where racial minority groups live, learn, work, play, and worship.
CDC Resources
The CDC provides more information on how to protect one against the coronavirus, care for those who become sick, and cope with the stress of living during these unprecedented times.
To access these resources, please visit:
