Tag: racial equity

A public health perspective on dismantling systemic racism: What role for health departments?

Course Objective

  • Explain why state and local health departments have the opportunity, mandate, capacity and imperative to take action to dismantle elements of systemic racism that harm health
  • Give examples of specific actions health departments can take to interrupt pathways by which racially disparate access to healthy food, criminal justice policies, and educational policies contribute to the health burdens of Black, Latinx, indigenous, and other populations of color.
  • Identify one or more ways that they can take action now within their institution to strengthen its actions designed to dismantle systemic racism

Date: September 1, 2020

Presenters
Nicholas Freudenberg, DrPH, MPH

Erinn Bacchus, MPH

Craig Willingham, MPH

City University of New York Urban Food Policy Institute


In this month’s Log-in2Learn, participants learn about three distinct approaches to address the intersections between public health and systemic racism in the United States. Dr. Nicholas Freudenburg, DrPH, MPH, discusses the relationship between the key determinants of health and racism and the need to end the inequitable provisions of education, housing and healthcare by creating communities of opportunity. Errin Bachhus, MPH, addresses racism in the criminal justice system and the role of public health organizations. In light of recent incidents of police brutality, she highlights the need to reevaluate the role of police departments and the best ways for health departments to intervene through programs and policy. Craig Willingham, MPH, examines how food policy can be crucial in increasing racial equity. He reviews the Good Food Purchasing Program and other city-wide efforts and shares how they can be targeted at minority groups to help alleviate inequities. Lastly, the speakers suggest a to-do list for public health organizations to actively make changes to current structures, provide creative examples to inspire action and recommend books to further broaden perspectives.

Participants will be able to:

  1. Explain why state and local health departments have the opportunity, mandate, capacity and imperative to take action to dismantle elements of systemic racism that harm health
  2. Give examples of specific actions health departments can take to interrupt pathways by which racially disparate access to healthy food, criminal justice policies, and educational policies contribute to the health burdens of Black, Latinx, indigenous, and other populations of color.
  3. Identify one or more ways that they can take action now within their institution to strengthen its actions designed to dismantle systemic racism.
Social Inequality and Health Disparities in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Course Objective

  • Identify key trends in health disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic to date
  • Describe how the pandemic exacerbates existing social inequalities
  • Examine several proposed interventions to address health disparities in the pandemic response

Date: June 2nd, 2020

Presenter:
Alexandra Zenoff, MPH.
Senior Program Manager
East-West Management Institute, Inc. (EWMI)


In this month’s Log-in2Learn webinar Alexandra Zenoff discusses the role of structural racism in health disparities, how this affects health outcomes and the need to address it. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated social inequalities and considering the social determinants of health is crucial to alleviating this issue. Drawing insights from historic and current public health efforts can help with designing responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. The importance of building on existing best practices like community consultations and appropriate data collection is discussed. Participants are provided with articles for further learning and resources such as the COVID-19 racial tracker and CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index.

Participants will learn about the following:

  1. Identify key trends in health disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic to date
  2. Describe how the pandemic exacerbates existing social inequalities
  3. Examine several proposed interventions to address health disparities in the pandemic response
Region 2 Public Health Training Center