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As Black Lives Matter turns society on its head, many are forced to look at life through others’ lenses.
A colleague, Thomas Hill, is sharing the following on COVID with a very different audience. By reading Thomas’ perspective, I learned more about my own view of the world.
Particularly if you find yourself doubting the health impact of the corona virus, consider looking at the disease through Thomas’ lens:
A Black View on COVID-19
By Thomas Hill
Black Americans are twice as likely to die from COVID-19 as white people.
While the coronavirus pandemic is global, for each of us it is personal. I’m scared I’ll die of COVID-19. I’m over 60 years old with pre-existing health conditions.
The other day, I went to the convenience store. From outside the window, I ticked off the customers: 14. Too many.
A middle-aged woman sneezed into her elbow. A young man coughed. No one had a face mask on and I couldn’t see any “social distancing.” To me, it looked like chaos.
But I needed to eat. As two men exited the store, I adjusted my face mask and strode in. Feeling anxious, I rapidly gathered my meal and left.
I want to be brutally honest: there’s nothing uniquely Black about my health history. I own the choices I’ve made. But experiences like mine are more likely in the African American community.
At 17, my Mom was diagnosed with kidney failure. She was a single parent and my everything. To cope, I drank almost every weekend. By 21, I had ulcers.
I worked the night shift for several years. I couldn’t sleep during the day. For years, I barely slept. I got divorced at 45. My blood pressure was high. And I didn’t follow the doctor’s orders for my first blood pressure prescription.
I didn’t have health insurance. So I avoided doctors. When I found myself in the hospital, the “no insurance” note on my form shifted discussions from “Perhaps we should test” to “I think we’ve done enough.”
And so now I stand in front of the convenience store, hoping customers will leave to reduce my risk of COVID-19 infection.
I share this current fear of coronavirus with many — but especially African Americans.
Black people are twice as likely to die from COVID-19. Inequalities are deeply woven into our socio-economic structures and our healthcare. Blacks in the US experience more illness, worse outcomes, and premature death. This divide in healthcare has far-ranging causes.
For example, in the 1930s, African Americans were used as “controls” in the government’s Tuskegee Syphilis Study. Hundreds of Black men and women were infected and dozens died horribly. Other unethical tests by major American universities continued at least into the 1990s.
Today, few African Americans participate in healthcare research, which means we are less likely to receive targeted care. This is especially relevant in the context of COVID-19.
Medical experts say that African American participation in the vaccine trial is critical. If the vaccine’s efficacy depends on genetics or culture, it may not work as well on Black people without their help.
A number of leaders and institutions are stepping forward. Dr. John Maupin, former president of Meharry Medical College and Morehouse School of Medicine, reports that several HBCUs are working to “form a consortium focused on ‘culturally sensitive care.’”
Others are actively recruiting Blacks for vaccine trials. Calecia Hodges, CEO of Infinite Clinical Trials, persuades Black people to participate in “exemplary model[s] of how clinical trials should be conducted.” Hodges said the heartbreaking reasons for not participating are “tough to overcome.”
Last year, the American Medical Association hired Dr. Aletha Maybank as its first Chief Health Equity Officer. About how best to support African American involvement in healthcare, Maybanks said, “It’s building a relationship. That’s how you build trust.”
Here is where you and I come in. There’s energy and action across our society. But to make that change meaningful, we need aligned efforts. So engage with your family, friends, and neighbors to promote rebuilding a healthcare system deserving trust — from everyone.
Thomas Hill is Program Director of Heritage Sports (HSRN.com), the Voice of Historically Black College and University (HBCU) sports.
If you’re a member of the HBCU Community, or just curious, check out HSRN.com. For over 15 years, HSRN has broadcast the most HBCU sports matchups. And HSRN is there to feature discussion critical to the future of the HBCU community, including about community wellness and education.
The HBCU community includes millions of alumni from more than 100 Historically Black schools from Pennsylvania through Texas. In college, HBCU students become increasingly aware of African American history and issues. And HBCU graduates are frequently neighborhood leaders, earning respect by applying their college educations, and many by being first in their families to attend university.
How can you develop valuable insights by allowing yourself to wander a few minutes down a path you didn’t even know existed?
Safeguard your future today. And position yourself to thrive for our children tomorrow.
Rod
Dr. Rod Wallace is an economist, consultant, and speaker who helps businesses make more money by solving society’s problems. A Fulbright Fellow, he has led multi-organization billion-dollar initiatives worldwide and partnered with a Silicon Valley pioneer to explore the impact of Artificial Intelligence on society.
Rod speaks about how to integrate social responsibility into business to maximize profit and purpose. He highlights digital technology’s impact on society and the strategies and tools with which business can solve our big, systemic problems.
Contact Rod at info@RodWallacePhD.com.