Running Head: RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITY GROUPS
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RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITY GROUPS
Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups
COVID-19 Affect on some Ethnic and Racial Minority Groups
Introduction
Long-standing social inequalities have placed several individuals from racial and ethnic minority groups at a raised risk of acquiring COVID-19 and dying from it. Racial and ethnic minority groups include individuals of color with a range of experiences and backgrounds. However, some encounters are common to individuals within these groups. Social determinants of health have always barred them from having fair opportunities for emotional, physical, and economic well-being.
According to Kirby (2020), there is rising evidence that some racial and ethnic minority groups are affected disproportionately by COVID-19. Factors such as healthcare access and poverty affect these groups. To attain health equity, barriers must be eliminated so everybody can have a fair opportunity to be healthy. In the United States, Blacks are acquiring COVID-19 at an alarming rate, and they have a higher chance of dying from it than Whites. Blacks infection rates are 3-fold more heightened, and mortality rates are 6-fold higher in predominantly Black communities than White communities. Despite Hispanics making 43% of Californias total population, 70% of COVID-19 deaths constituted them. American Indians and Alaska natives also include a higher percentage of infections and deaths compared to Whites.
Factors that contribute to increased risk
There are several reasons why racial and ethnic minorities have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. However, economic and social factors are the main contributors. Most minorities live in small houses in which it is hard to isolate the sick. Most minority frontline workers who lack the luxury cannot stay at home or do teleworking. Tai et al., 2021 reveals that most minority groups consist of frontline workers (Shippee et al., 2020).
Moreover, only 20% of Blacks have the privilege of working from home compared to 30% of Whites. New York Citys comptroller report revealed that 75% of frontline workers are people in minority groups. Blacks consist of 40% of these workers, and 34% use public transportation means compared to Whites, who constitute 14%.
The striking variance in racial and ethnic impact of COVID-19 allows reaffirming the connection between occupation and health. Individuals from some racial and ethnic minority groups are disproportionately represented in essential work settings such as healthcare facilities and public transportation (Fairlie, Couch & Xu, 2020). People who work in these settings have higher chances of being exposed to COVID-19. This is due to several factors, such as not having paid sick days, not working from home, and close contact with the public or other workers. Some individuals from racial and ethnic groups stay in crowded places, making it hard to follow...
In a few cultures, it is common for relatives to stay in one household. Additionally, developing and disproportionate unemployment rates for the minority groups during the
pandemic can cause a higher risk of
homelessness and eviction or sharing of rooms.
Individuals from racial and ethnic minority groups are likely to be uninsured than Whites-they have no access and utilization of health services (Fairlie, Couch & Xu, 2020). Healthcare access can be limited by discrimination in healthcare systems, cultural variations between providers and patients, language and communication barriers, and lack of transportation. Individuals from minority groups may hesitate to get care because they do not trust the system responsible for treatment inequities. This may be due to past occurrences such as...
…an opportunity and impetus to create approaches that would start to remove health inequalities in the U.S., this attaining health equity. The initial step is to acknowledge that COVID-19 related disparities are not the fault of those encountering them but instead the impact of social systems and policies that perpetuate and develop inequalities. In a recent American Medical Association editorial Journal, Cooper and Williams state that it can create a new type of herd immunity. By improving the current policies and implementing new ones, making investments needed to reduce social determinants of health among the disenfranchised and poor, populations will be better protected from future infections.
Conclusion
The pandemic may modify some of the ways people support and connect with others. As communities and individuals respond to COVID-19 circumstances and recommendations such as social distancing, workplace, and school closures, there are usually unintended adverse effects on emotional health such as loss of social support and connectedness. Cultural bonds, family, and shared faith are familiar sources of social support. Finding the means to maintain connection and support, even when people are physically apart, can encourage and motivate communities and individuals to better cope with stress, keep children healthy, take care of the sick, and protect themselves.Health care providers and systems, policymakers, public health agencies, faith-and community-based organizations have a considerable role to play in assisting in promoting fair access to health. To prevent the COVID-19 spread, people should learn to work together to ensure that individuals have resources to manage and maintain their mental and physical health, including mental health care, affordable testing, and easy access to information. We require practices and programs that fit the communities where minority and racial groups worship, play,…
