CHEST: What are some specific health issues disproportionately impacting Black communities?
Phelps: It’s important to first note that there is diversity amongst Black people. There are specific health issues that are more time-sensitive when it comes to Black LGBTQ+ populations, Black elders, Black veterans, and other populations.
There are a number of health threats to the Black community—HIV/AIDS, COVID-19, long COVID and its associated disability, birthing justice/birthing mortality, mental health—both driven by inequities and disparities and also health outcomes.
Beyond the health impact experienced by many African Americans, we also focus on the root causes, including systemic racism, which in and of itself is a public health emergency, as has been noted by a lot of governments across the country.
CHEST: Tell us more about systemic racism as a public health emergency.
Phelps: When it comes to racism as a public health emergency, it's really about governments acknowledging the fact that race is unfortunately a top indicator of health outcomes and life expectancy.
There is a strong base of evidence that we see in public health when it comes to specific health outcomes. These are influenced by a variety of factors, including economic, environmental, and social conditions.
It's not conclusive that just because you're African American, it means for certain that you're not going to live to a certain age or that you're going to be diagnosed with certain medical conditions. But the likelihood of you, as an African American, being diagnosed with certain medical conditions and not living as long as somebody of a different race who lives in a different zip code is a true evidence-based factor.
Declaring racism as a public health emergency acknowledges that evidence base and that racism in and of itself is a threat to health and to life. Beyond likelihood of disease, this also includes race-related violence, police brutality, and other violence-related issues.