Racial Health Disparities, Prejudice and Violence

Background

Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, are among those in the United States subject to health care disparities and social drivers of health that has an immense negative impact on their health. Further, even when controlling for issues with access to care these populations tend to receive poorer quality care. We know that prejudice, discrimination, and violence disproportionately harm the health and well-being of many different racial and ethnic communities. ACP offers a comprehensive policy framework that recognizes and confronts the many elements of U.S. society, some of which are intertwined and compounding, that contribute to poorer health outcomes, in education, in law enforcement and in criminal justice. ACP also proposes policies that confront the challenges disproportionately affecting communities and individuals at greatest risk.

Where We Stand

The American College of Physicians is committed to combatting racial disparities that affect health and health care. This includes fighting the prejudice at the root of the problem, as well as the discrimination, inequities, violence and hate crimes that result from that prejudice. Racial disparities, discrimination, harassment and violence are public health issues. Evidence-based solutions are needed to combat the stressors that disproportionately harm racial and ethnic communities.

ADVOCACY SPOTLIGHT

The American College of Physicians (ACP) believes racism, racial disparities, discrimination, harassment and violence are all public health issues. ACP is committed to being an anti-racist, diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization.

Videos

I Cannot Be What I Cannot See: Time To Unleash A JEDI Healthcare Environment
A presentation by ACP Executive Vice President and CEO, Darilyn V. Moyer, MD, FACP, FRCP, FIDSA, describing actionable interventions to work towards achieving gender equity at the micro and macro levels for all underrepresented groups in healthcare.

A Historical Perspective of Medical Education for Black Physicians in the U.S.
ACP Board of Regents member, Ryan D. Mire, MD, FACP, provides a detailed history of medical education for Black physicians in the United States and the racial disparities physicians faced throughout several important time periods.

Dismantling Systematic Racism in US Health Care:  The Role of ACP and Its Chapters and Councils
ACP recognizes that discrimination, racism, harassment, and violence against individuals on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, or country of origin is a public health issue.  View this related Chapter Leader session that includes multiple learning modalities.


Latest Advocacy Efforts

Search the ACP Policy Library

To access everything ACP has said related to racial health disparities, search ACP's library of policy statements, copies of testimony, and letters to government and non-government officials.

Search the Policy Library

Racial Health Disparities

Additional Advocacy Efforts