J Natl Med Assoc
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In response to a rapid rise in mortality within assisted living, facility-wide resident testing found 42% of 182 residents had SARS-CoV-2 infection; 68% of which were asymptomatic for 14 days before and after testing. Resident testing was a critical infection control measure needed to control transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Health disparities negatively impact the lives of patients and are a product of the social categorization of medicine. In dismantling the systemic racism and biases that create health disparities, health equity curricula can be implemented that improve resident physician awareness and competency in caring for patients from vulnerable populations. ⋯ The HELC was successful in increasing self-efficacy in caring for vulnerable populations and managing challenging patient scenarios at 6-months. Further evaluation is needed for generalizability and determination of true statistical significance.
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The increased COVID-19 mortality for Black individuals over White individuals may be explained by the known racial disparities in access to insurance. ⋯ National trends of racial disparities in COVID-19 mortality may be partially explained by disparities in insurance.
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The year 2020 opened the eyes of many to the structures of racism that persist in our country. As the visceral urgency of those galvanizing moments fade, organizations must move beyond releasing supportive statements and determining how they can live up to their stated values. To truly support Black lives, academic medical centers (AMCs) must commit to critically examine and improve the manner in which daily practices, culture, and context uplift Black students, health care professionals, and patients to achieve health equity. ⋯ Additionally, AMCss should teach about structural racism as a social determinant of health to raise awareness of a common cause of health disparities and understand why patients of color may distrust the medical system. Furthermore, academic centers should work with local leaders to assess needs and provide community benefits and advocate for policies that meet those needs. While there are some challenges in starting these conversations in our institutions, changing the status quo is necessary to achieve health equity for all.