Against the backdrop of large-scale demonstrations triggered by the realities of systemic bias and structural racism that give rise to health, economic, and legal inequities and their tragic, often lethal, consequences, the National Academy of Medicine’s Culture of Health Program works in partnership with national and local stakeholders on behalf of the fundamental changes needed to eliminate those inequities for populations across the United States.
As COVID-19 commands the attention of our nation, we face an extraordinary opportunity to advance health equity – a state where everyone in the United States is able to achieve their full health potential – by eliminating the structural barriers to good health for vulnerable and marginalized populations. One of the root causes of health inequity is structural racism, illuminated most recently by the disproportionate outcomes for people of color related to COVID-19 and increasingly highlighted in the national dialogue around racial injustice.
The Culture of Health Program is committed to advancing the scientific underpinnings for progress in health equity and sharing evidence-based strategies to bring about the transformation in policy decision-making and public recognition necessary to dismantle structural racism and ultimately achieve health equity for all – mitigating the effects of the current crisis and safeguarding the well-being of our nation for the future. Resources on health equity in the context of COVID-19 are available below. For more information on the program and additional tools to understand and address the root causes of systemic and structural inequities and their health consequences.
Population: Everyone
Links:
Resources from the National Academies
- Resources on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (Resource Page)
Past Webinars
- COVID Conversations #6 – COVID-19 and Health Equity: Exploring Disparities and Long-Term Health Impacts
- COVID Conversations #5 – COVID-19 Testing: Possibilities, Challenges, and Ensuring Equity
- COVID Conversations #2 – The Science of Social Distancing: Part 2
- Culture and Inclusiveness Action Collaborative Webinar
- COVID-19 and Black Communities: A Workshop
- Pursuing Data on COVID-19: The Health Inequity Multiplier
Resources from the U.S. Government Agencies
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- HHS Initiatives to Address the Disparate Impact of COVID-19 on African Americans and Other Racial and Ethnic Minorities
- COVID-19 Funding Available to Minority, Rural and Socially Vulnerable Communities for Linkages to Services, Information and Education
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights in Action
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Resources from the Associations and Organizations
American Medical Association
- Why COVID-19 is decimating some Native American communities
- The pandemic’s impact on the Native American population
Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations
Brookings Institute
Drexel University, Dornsife School of Public Health
Kaiser Family Foundation
- Communities of Color at Higher Risk for Health and Economic Challenges due to COVID-19
- COVID-19 Presents Significant Risks for American Indian and Alaska Native People
NFA Behavioral Health
Surgo Foundation
Unidos US
Wilson Center
Date: 2020