Are Clinicians Contributing to Excess African American COVID-19 Deaths? Unbeknownst to Them, They May Be
- PMID: 32368712
- PMCID: PMC7194321
- DOI: 10.1089/heq.2020.0015
Are Clinicians Contributing to Excess African American COVID-19 Deaths? Unbeknownst to Them, They May Be
Abstract
African Americans are overrepresented among reported coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and deaths. There are a multitude of factors that may explain the African American disparity in COVID-19 outcomes, including higher rates of comorbidities. While individual-level factors predictably contribute to disparate COVID-19 outcomes, systematic and structural factors have not yet been reported. It stands to reason that implicit biases may fuel the racial disparity in COVID-19 outcomes. To address this racial disparity, we must apply a health equity lens and disaggregate data explicitly for African Americans, as well as other populations at risk for biased treatment in the health-care system.
Keywords: African American; health inequities; implicit bias.
© Adam J. Milam et al. 2020; Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
Conflict of interest statement
No competing financial interests exist.
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