For Your Toolbox (8/9): COVID-19 in Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups

Author: Dr. Angela Oglesby-Cherry
About the Author: 
Dr. Angela Cherry is from Clarksburg, WV.  She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from West Virginia University.  In 2002 she obtained her Medical Degree from West Virginia University School of Medicine.  In 2006 she completed the WVU Rural Family Medicine Residency Program at Harpers Ferry, WV.  In 2007 she completed a Maternal Child Health Fellowship at West Suburban Hospital in Oak Park, IL.  Upon completion of fellowship she returned to the Eastern Panhandle of WV to serve as a Family Medicine faculty member.  She has been teaching medical students and residents for over 15 years while practicing full spectrum family medicine.  She has had the pleasure to deliver hundreds of babies in the eastern panhandle.  She has also been afforded the opportunity to participate in medical mission trips to Rwanda, Guatemala, and Fiji.  In 2016 her mid-career achievements were recognized when she received the WISH (Women in Science and Health) award from WVU School of Medicine.  In 2017 she received a master’s in business administration from the WVU School of Business.  In 2020 she was appointed as the WVU Rural Family Medicine Residency Director.  

When not traveling the world, Dr. Cherry enjoys relaxing with her husband, Wade and two dogs Rocky and Rocket.  She enjoys being creative while actively drawing and painting with oil pastels, acrylics, and pencils.  She is an avid card maker and scrapbooker with Stampin’ Up!

Story: 
Long-standing systemic health and social inequities have put some members of racial and ethnic minority groups at increased risk of getting COVID-19 or experiencing severe illness, regardless of age. Among some racial and ethnic minority groups, including non-Hispanic black persons, Hispanics and Latinos, and American Indians/Alaska Natives, evidence points to higher rates of hospitalization or death from COVID-19 than among non-Hispanic white persons. As of June 12, 2020, age-adjusted hospitalization rates are highest among non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native and non-Hispanic black persons, followed by Hispanic or Latino persons.

COVID-19 is a new disease, and CDC is learning more about it and how it affects people every day. 

History shows that severe illness and death rates tend to be higher for racial and ethnic minority populations during public health emergencies than for other populations.

• Help stop the spread of rumors and misinformation by providing information from trusted and credible sources.

Healthcare systems and healthcare providers should:

• Use CDC’s standardized protocols and quality improvement guidance in hospitals and medical offices that serve people from racial and ethnic minority groups.
• Provide training to help providers identify their implicit biases, making sure providers understand how these biases can affect the way they communicate with patients and how patients react.
• Provide medical interpreters.
• Work with communities and healthcare professional organizations to reduce cultural barriers to care.
• Connect patients with community resources that can help older adults and people with underlying medical conditions follow their care plans. 

Health differences between racial and ethnic groups result from inequities in living, working, health, and social conditions that have persisted across generations. In public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, these conditions can also isolate people from the resources they need to prepare for and respond to outbreaks.

• Many members of racial and ethnic minorities may be more likely to live in densely populated areas because of institutional racism in the form of residential housing segregation. People living in densely populated areas and homes may find it harder to practice social distancing.
• Racial housing segregation is linked to health conditions, such as asthma and other underlying medical conditions, that put people at increased risk of getting severely ill or dying from COVID-19. Some communities with higher numbers of racial and ethnic minorities have higher levels of exposure to pollution and other environmental hazards.
• People living in multigenerational households and multi-family households (which are more common among some racial and ethnic minority groups), may find it hard to protect older family members or isolate those who are sick if space in the household is limited.
• Some racial and ethnic minority groups are over-represented in jails, prisons, homeless shelters, and detention centers, where people live, work, eat, study, and recreate within congregate environments, which can make it difficult to slow the spread of COVID-19.
• People may not receive care because of distrust of the healthcare system, language barriers, or cost of missing work.
• Compared to non-Hispanic whites, blacks experience higher rates of chronic conditions at earlier ages and higher death rates. Similarly, American Indian and Alaska 
• Racism, stigma, and systemic inequities undermine prevention efforts, increase levels of chronic and toxic stress, and ultimately sustain health and healthcare inequities

To protect yourself remember:
Wear a cloth mask every time you leave the house
Practice Social distancing
Stay at home if you are ill
Get tested if you are ill

Stay Safe!