Racism as a Public Health Issue Impacting African Americans

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Abstract

This paper has two purposes: 1) to make the connection between the stresses associated with racism with the chronic health conditions and disparities that exist in the African American community in the United States, and 2) to link efforts to address racism as a public health issue promulgated by public health agencies and organizations as a means of addressing structural and cultural racism. This paper uses the lens of critical race theory (CRT) as the window through which to view this topic. The paper concludes that the burden of racism contributes to the existence of health issues such as hypertension, diabetes, chronic asthma, etc., and helps to build the case for establishing racism as a public health issue.

Author

• Zollie Stevenson, Philander Smith College