Book Title: Perspectives on Race and Racism in Health and Healthcare

Book Description

Perspectives on Race and Racism in Health and Healthcare is a four-part series designed to raise awareness on how race and racism have resulted in a racial hierarchy that privileges white individuals while simultaneously disadvantaging people of color in the United States. This book underscores the harm that the attribution of biology to race has had on people of color and how it has shaped societies and manifested in innumerable disparities and irreparable harm. From the earliest days of the country to the present day, the dehumanization and “othering” of African Americans have caused deep racial inequities that have been perpetuated and embedded in virtually every facet of American culture. Perspectives will illuminate how racial hierarchies and the dehumanization of black Americans have been used to justify slavery, perpetuate scientific and medical racism, and impede efforts toward racial and health equity in this country.

Using information obtained from peer-reviewed literature, historical data, news articles, and firsthand accounts, Perspectives aims to raise awareness of the existence of health inequities and how racism has been a critical player in the creation of these inequities. Perspectives begins with historical data regarding the earliest definitions of race and how racial hierarchies helped shape American culture. The book discusses the interconnectedness of racism and the Social Determinants of Health, and how they have shaped health disparities and poor health outcomes for communities of color. Although Perspectives is designed to inform on the correlation between health and healthcare, it also endeavors to provide mechanisms, tools, and resources to help mitigate the impact of racism on health. Thus, Perspective ends by encouraging the reader to reframe their thinking and work more intentionally with an equity-focused mindset.