The COVID-19 Pandemic: An American Health Divide

Abstract

The results show that, in U.S., there is a higher incidence of COVID -19 in under- resourced than non-under resourced communities [2]. Besides being under-resourced or underserved, there are also some long-term social factors that significantly contribute to and serve as determinants of the quality of health and social wellbeing of African- Americans and other ethnic minorities. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), health is defined as: the physiological, mental and social well-being of a person or group. According to the Office of Minority Health (OMH), these chronic diseases have contributed to African Americans having the highest mortality rate associated with COVID-19 deaths [6]. [...]African Americans and other ethnic minorities have been exposed for many generations to long-term toxins in workplace and other non-workplace environments. [...]the disproportionate number of black physicians as compared to white physicians also contributes to the socioeconomic and health/healthcare inequities or needs in under resourced communities.