National Minority Health Month
April is National Minority Health Month, an observance that aims to raise awareness about the health disparities that exist among minority populations in the United States. This month provides an opportunity to highlight the ways we can reduce health disparities.
The significance of this month cannot be overstated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), minority populations in the United States face significant disparities in health outcomes, including higher rates of chronic diseases, lower life expectancy, and higher infant mortality rates. For example, Black and Hispanic Americans have higher rates of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke compared to non-Hispanic Whites.
COVID-19 has only further exacerbated these health disparities. BIPOC communities have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, with higher rates of infections, hospitalizations, and deaths. The pandemic has also worsened existing social and economic disparities that contribute to poor health outcomes.
National Minority Health Month provides an opportunity to address these disparities and promote health equity. It is a time to recognize the unique health needs of minority populations and work towards eliminating the structural and systemic barriers that contribute to health disparities.
One of the most important ways to improve minority health is by addressing the social determinants of health. These are the social, economic, and environmental factors that influence health outcomes, such as access to healthy food, safe housing, and quality education. Addressing these determinants requires a multi-sectoral approach that involves collaboration between healthcare providers, public health officials, community-based organizations, and policymakers.
Below are some important podcast episodes that highlight the health disparities that exist among minority populations in the United States, and what we can do it about it. By promoting health equity, addressing social determinants of health, and providing education and resources to minority communities, we can work towards reducing these disparities and improving the health and well-being of all Americans.
Health Predictors: Zip Code vs. Genetic Code
In this episode, Dr. Ebony Jade Hilton talks about her advocacy for a more equitable healthcare system. Dr. Hilton is an anesthesiologist at the University of Virginia and the first Black woman anesthesiologist at Medical University of South Carolina since it opened. Dr. Hilton’s work extends far beyond the walls of the hospital. She is a vocal supporter of health equity, advocating for underserved and marginalized populations.
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Charlemagne tha God on Helping Others Heal
Charlamagne Tha God is a multimedia mogul, Radio Hall of Fame inductee, bestselling author, and one of the most influential thought leaders in modern culture. He explains how his mental health struggles led him to start the Mental Wealth Alliance to destigmatize, accelerate, and center state-of-the-art mental health outreach and care, building an unprecedented long-term system of generational support for Black communities.
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Anti-Asian Racism in Healthcare
May is Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Heritage Month. 8.5% of healthcare workers are AAPI, compared to 6.8% of the U.S. population. While Americans of Asian and Pacific Island descent have made many contributions to our healthcare system, they are facing increased discrimination at work and in their communities. In this episode, Dr. Esther Choo discusses the racism faced by AAPI healthcare workers, and what we can do about it.
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Eliminating Maternal Health Inequities
In this episode, Dr. Laurie Zephyrin, Heart of Healthcare Grant Challenge judge and SVP for Advancing Health Equity at the Commonwealth Fund, interviews Dr. Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha from Tuft’s Center for Black Maternal Health & Reproductive Justice, the winner of our $25,000 grant challenge. Learn about how CBMHRJ is taking a new approach to eliminating maternal health inequities and improving the Black birthing experience.
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Fighting for Survivors of Forced Sterilization
The United States has a long—and continuing—practice of forcibly sterilizing women of color, taking away their basic human right to become a parent. It’s happening in prisons and immigration detention centers, where doctors are performing unwarranted hysterectomies and bilateral tubal ligation without proper consent. Last year, California announced it would pay out millions of dollars to living survivors of the state’s forced sterilization efforts thanks to today’s guest who co-sponsor the bill. In this episode, Laura Jimenez, Executive Director of California Latinas for Reproductive Justice, discusses the racist, classist, ableist history of forced sterilization and why it’s still happening today.
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