The world is poised to make transformative advances in disease prevention and control over the coming decades. But this revolution needs to include and benefit all people, and not become skewed disproportionately toward those with a particular skin color or socioeconomic status.
NEW YORK – After the late Arthur Ashe contracted HIV/AIDS, he commented that the heaviest burden he had to bear was not the disease but being born black in America. In addition to facing systemic racism, black people in the United States suffer disproportionately from disease and have shorter life expectancies and less healthy lives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, African-American and indigenous communities have suffered dramatically higher rates of hospitalization and death and vaccine hesitancy among some black people – due to their history of being medically exploited – remains a challenge.
NEW YORK – After the late Arthur Ashe contracted HIV/AIDS, he commented that the heaviest burden he had to bear was not the disease but being born black in America. In addition to facing systemic racism, black people in the United States suffer disproportionately from disease and have shorter life expectancies and less healthy lives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, African-American and indigenous communities have suffered dramatically higher rates of hospitalization and death and vaccine hesitancy among some black people – due to their history of being medically exploited – remains a challenge.