CDC declares racism is a "serious threat" to public health

SCREEN CAPTURE

Center for Disease Control director Rochelle Walnsky

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday has declared racism as a "serious threat" to public health allowing it to devote its resources in fighting the inequities in health care and address the mental health of racists.

"Racism is a serious public health threat that directly affects the well-being of millions of Americans," said  Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). "As a result, it affects the health of our entire nation."

Adding action to words, Thursday she highlighted several new efforts CDC is leading to accelerate its work to address racism as a fundamental driver of racial and ethnic health inequities in the United States. 

She also unveiled a new website “Racism and Health” that will serve as a hub for the agency’s efforts and a catalyst for greater education and dialogue around these critical issues.

"Racism is not just the discrimination against one group based on the color of their skin or their race or ethnicity, but the structural barriers that impact racial and ethnic groups differently to influence where a person lives, where they work, where their children play, and where they worship and gather in community. These social determinants of health have life-long negative effects on the mental and physical health of individuals in communities of color," said Walensky.

Over generations, these structural inequities have resulted in stark racial and ethnic health disparities that are severe, far-reaching and unacceptable.

As the nation’s leading public health agency, CDC has a critical role to play to address the impact of racism on public health.

• We will continue to study the impact of social determinants on health outcomes, expand the body of evidence on how racism affects health, and propose and implement solutions to address this.
• With COVID-19 funding, we are making new and expanded investments in racial and ethnic minority communities and other disproportionately affected communities around the country, establishing a durable infrastructure that will provide the foundation and resources to address disparities related to COVID-19 and other health conditions.
• We are expanding our internal agency efforts to foster greater diversity and create an inclusive and affirming environment for all.
• We are launching our new web portal “Racism and Health” as part of our ongoing commitment to serve as a catalyst for public and scientific discourse around racism and health, and to be accountable for our progress.

Since the Georgia mass shooting, demonstrations against anti-Asian hate are
spreading across the United States and Canada.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has presented us with an opportunity for even greater action–-a chance to achieve optimal health for all by addressing the long-standing social and racial injustices in our nation," said Walensky, one of the most visible members of the Biden administration because of the coronavirus epidemic.

The CDC's position comes at a time when racism towards Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is rampant resulting in a surge of racist violence for the past year, or since the pandemic began in the U.S. Bolstered in their belief by the Donald Trump administration, racists have been blaming Chinese and other Asian Americans as the source of the virus.

"Confronting the impact of racism will not be easy. We must recognize that we are working to overcome centuries of discrimination," said Walensky. "We will only be successful in undoing the entrenched systemic and structural barriers if we work in collaboration with our public health partners, and deeply within our communities, across the country.

"I know that we can meet this challenge," she added. "I know that we can create an America where all people have the opportunity to live a healthy life. I know that we can do this if we each take responsibility and work together."