Written by: Jasmine Penney

Historically, communities of color have always faced disparities when it comes to healthcare and the socioeconomic ladder. When enacted, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was put in place to tackle some of those issues. Unfortunately, even with laws like the ACA in place, minority communities still continue to lack the necessary resources that are needed to combat (1) shorter lifespans, (2) common diseases, (3) and limited access to quality healthcare (due to both availability and financial restrictions).

During COVID-19, we continue to see the effects of both the failed healthcare system and economic system for communities of color. According to an aritcle from the Kaiser Family Foundation, in states such as Louisiana and Illinois, blacks make up between 32%-39% of the total population, yet are 56%-70% of the confirmed deaths due to COVID-19. Let that sink in: sounds pretty familiar to statistics related to the criminal justice system.

By watching the news and looking at data, it is clear that this outbreak has presented financial burdens on many families all around the country, and the world. However, the amount of minority families facing challenges on multiple tiers continues to be disproportionate. The first reason is due to the socioeconomic barriers that continue to keep minorities at the bottom of the ladder, and how that has played a role during the COVID-19 pandemic. Something else we have to take into consideration is the fact that the uninsured have a hard time accessing care or testing: people of color make up a large portion of the uninsured population. Lastly, we also have to look at the effects of COVID-19 on individuals with preexisting health conditions, and how minorities are the main carriers of a lot of common diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, etc.

Socioeconomic Barriers

While we can jump right into healthcare disparities since the virus is a health-related issue, it is just as important to acknowledge the disparities as it relates to socioeconomic status in minority communities. For people in the service industries, COVID-19 has forced their hours to be reduced, jobs eliminated, and in some cases, businesses closed. Additionally, for anyone who works in essential service industries such as grocery stores, they have a higher risk of contracting the virus due to the amount of people they come in contact with on a daily basis. Nearly 25% of Blacks and Hispanics are employed in service industries, compared to Whites at 16%. Over 25% of Blacks, Hispanics, and American Indian & Alaskan Natives already have an income that puts them below the poverty line, so losing a job or getting their hours reduced puts them at a greater risk of not being able to pay bills or feed their families (KFF); Less than 17% of Whites face this issue.

One of the ways we have been told to combat attracting COVID-19 is to eat more immune-boosting foods, and take immune-boosting vitamin supplements. However, if your income is being lessened, you may not be able to afford those vital items and instead settle for the whopping number of fast food restaurants that are so heavily saturated in your neighborhood. It makes us question exactly where minorities are supposed to catch a break.

Still related to socioeconomic hardships, we also have to consider living situations when it comes to vulnerability to COVID-19. In cities such as New York, the virus was so contagious due to crowded living environments. In other industrial areas, immune systems are already triggered due to the constant release of toxic fumes into the environment. In fact, some of those chemical plants are located right here in the Bay Area. People of color make up 56% of the population in urban cities, while Whites make up the majority in rural and suburban areas. Something else to note: 38%-41% of Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians live near multi-familiy units, where Whites only make up 23% of the folks who live in those kinds of environments. Like the cases in New York, living in close proximity to one another has caused a major influx in COVID-19 cases due to them not having space between one home to the next (NY Times). 

What About the Uninsured and Individuals with Pre-existing Health Conditions?

Not only do minority communities deal with socioeconomic barriers, but they are also less likely to have health insurance. This presents a problem with COVID-19 because they have a hard time getting testing. Although Congress passed legislation for free testing even if you don’t have health insurance, communities of color still face challenges because they are unaware where they should go to get tested since they don’t visit the doctor often. Additionally, they may be unaware that testing is free, and also wouldn’t be able to afford the necessary care if they were to test positive for coronavirus. 

Different minority groups have many underlying health issues that are common within their racial groups. We learned early on when the pandemic broke out that the folks most vulnerable to this infection would be those with preexisting conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma, lung disease, and those with immune-compromised systems due to HIV/AIDS and cancer treatment. Blacks and American Indian & Alaskan Natives are as much as 2x more likely to  have conditions such as heart attacks, asthma, and diabetes compared to Whites. For the youth, Black and Hispanic children are more likely to become obese compared to their White counterparts (KFF). If these all fall in-line with the most susceptible to the virus, where does that leave our minority communities?

Call to Action

As community service members, it is our job to aid in the advancement of minorities when it comes to health, healthcare, and socioeconomic barriers. We see the effects every day and have first-hand experience of the negative impact it has on the individuals we serve. These stats are not just here to showcase information, but to paint a picture of the constant uphill battle that communities of color continue to face. Once the vision is painted, we are then challenged to do something to help the issue and to help take the burden off those in our own backyards. Let’s continue to band together, and fight the good fight. Our communities need us now more than ever!