“Racism is a significant social determinant of health clearly prevalent in our society now,” said Dr. Maria Trent, a professor of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine...“We call it a socially transmitted disease: It’s taught, it’s passed down, but the impacts on children and families are significant from a health perspective,”
- Racism is a core social determinant of health that is a driver of health inequities.
- The impact of racism has been linked to birth disparities and mental health problems in children and adolescents.
- Juvenile justice involvement is also a critical social determinant of health. Because racial inequity continues to shape the juvenile justice system, this area is a modern example of race being an important determinant of short- and long-term outcomes.
- Race as a social construct is rooted in history and remains a mechanism through which social class has been controlled over time.
- ...health inequities are not the result of individual behavior choices or genetic predisposition but are caused by economic, political, and social conditions, including racism
- Conclusions: Achieving decisive public policies, optimized clinical service delivery, and community change with an activated, engaged, and diverse pediatric workforce is critically important to begin untangling the thread of racism sewn through the fabric of society and affecting the health of pediatric populations. Pediatricians must examine and acknowledge their own biases and embrace and advocate for innovative policies and cross-sector partnerships designed to improve medical, economic, environmental, housing, judicial, and educational equity for optimal child, adolescent, and emerging adult developmental outcomes.
Research: https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/144/2/e20191765
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