“Leaving no one behind”: COVID-19 Response in Black Canadian Communities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25071/2291-5796.84Keywords:
COVID-19, marginalized, Canadians of African Descent, healthcare, pandemicAbstract
Despite the universal healthcare system in Canada, Canadians of African Descent (CAD) still face numerous problems that place them at higher risk to pandemics such as COVID-19. From the struggles of working as frontline workers, to challenges compounded by pre-existing chronic medical conditions such as Diabetes, CAD may face unique issues, further weighing on their existing and potential health outcomes. This situation calls for closer attention to the specific needs of CAD who may be at greater risk of late diagnosis and delayed treatment for COVID-19. Historically, marginalized communities such as CAD must be included in healthcare considerations and planning, so as to avoid further leaving them behind during and after the storm. Past evidence has shown that structural inequities shape who is affected by disease and its economic fallout. Therefore, the unique needs of CAD must be considered in healthcare planning with the ongoing COVID-19 response.
Keywords: pandemic, marginalized, healthcare, COVID-19, Canadians of African Descent
Downloads
References
2. Husbands, W., Nelson, L., Owino, M. & Tharao, W. (2019). Black Canadians and HIV: How will it end?. The Toronto Star. Retrieved from https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2019/12/02/black-canadians-and-hiv-how-will-it-end.html
3. Konkor, I., Antabe, R., Mkandawire, P., McIntosh, M. D., Lawson, E. S., Husbands, W., ... & Luginaah, I. (2020). Knowledge of sexual partner’s HIV serostatus and the practice of safer sex among heterosexual men of African descent in London, Ontario. Ethnicity & Health, 1-13.
4. Williams, A. (2019). Centre for Social Innovation: Race and food insecurity in Canada. Retrieved from https://socialinnovation.org/race-and-food-insecurity-in-canada/
5. Williams, S. E. (2020). Danger for nation’s African American communities. Retrieved from: https://blackvoicenews.com/2020/03/23/warning-warning-covid-19-presents-enhanced-danger-for-nations-african-american-communities/
6. Do, D. & Maheux, H. (2019). Diversity of the black population in Canada: An overview. Statistics Canada.https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/pub/89-657-x/89-657-x2019002-eng.pdf?st=SBJecpHs
7. Hernandez, D. C., Reesor, L. M. & Murillo, R. (2017). Food insecurity and adult overweight/obesity: Gender and race/ethnic disparities. Appetite, 117, 373-378.
8. Burrer, S. L., de Perio, M. A., Hughes, M. M., Kuhar, D. T., Luckhaupt, S. E., McDaniel, C. J., ... & Walters, M. (2020). Characteristics of health care personnel with COVID-19—United States, February 12– April 9, 2020. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 69, 1-5. Retrieved from: https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/86727
9. Hien, A. & Lafontant, J. (2013). Iniquités de santé en milieu minoritaire: diagnostic de la situation chez les immigrants francophones de Sudbury. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 104(6), S75-S78. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.17269/cjph.104.3472.pdf
10. Government of Canada. (2020). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): daily epidemiology update (updated: May 2, 2020). Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/surv-covid19-epi-update-eng.pdf
11. Khan, M., Kobayashi, K., Lee, S. M. & Vang, Z. (2015). (In)Visible minorities in Canadian health data and research. Population Change and Lifecourse Strategic Knowledge Cluster Discussion Paper Series/Un Réseau Stratégique de Connaissances Changements de Population et Parcours de Vie Document de Travail, 3(1), 5. https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1013&context=pclc
12. Schlosberg, J., Davis, L. & Ghebremedhin, S. (2020). Philadelphia doctor takes to streets to help black communities get tested for COVID-19. Retrieved fromhttps://abcnews.go.com/US/philadelphia-doctor-takes-streets-black-communities-tested-covid/story?id=70405257
13. Solomon, D. & Hamilton, D. (2020). The coronavirus pandemic and the racial wealth gap. Retrieved from: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/race/news/2020/03/19/481962/coronavirus-pandemic-racial-wealth-gap/
14. Government of Canada. (2020). Canada emergency response benefit. Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/cerb-application.html
15. Schueller, S. M., Hunter, J. F., Figueroa, C. & Aguilera, A. (2019). Use of digital mental health for marginalized and underserved populations. Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry, 6(3), 243-255.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Witness publishes under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license (CC BY-NC 4.0). Read the license terms at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. The author(s) retain copyright to their works.
