Tools for Inclusive & Antiracist Teaching and Learning-Racism underlying health disparities

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Asthma disproportionately affects Black Americans, who experience higher rates of asthma, emergency visits, hospitalizations, and deaths compared to whites, despite no biological predisposition. This disparity stems from structural barriers like inequitable access to healthcare and mistrust towards predominantly white providers. Socioeconomic status partly explains asthma prevalence, but even at similar income levels, Black communities have higher asthma rates. Environmental factors also play a significant role, as discriminatory housing policies have placed many Black Americans in polluted industrial areas, increasing exposure to air pollution linked to asthma and other diseases. Overall, inequitable care and environmental racism exacerbate these health disparities.

Asset Subtitle

Disparities in health care access and outcomes among different demographic groups are essential to include when teaching about most diseases and discussions of community and population health. This teaching also needs to address the upstream causes of these disparities, which commonly include long-standing discrimination and systemic racism. This 3-minute CPL video provides an example of how to include racism in presentation of disparity in the occurrence, treatment, and outcomes of asthma. Teaching to include the upstream causes of health disparities is discussed further in the CPL workshop, Teaching that Promotes Antiracism for Health Equity: It's Easier than You May Think.

Keywords

Asthma Disparities

Black Americans

Healthcare Inequity

Environmental Racism

Air Pollution