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“Racism is an uncomfortable subject for a lot of people in academia and academic publishing itself is part of the problem, in that a lot of journals including Health Affairs have neglected to name racism and publish research about how racism harms health.” - Leslie Erdelack.

In February, Health Affairs published a theme issue dedicated to racism and health.

Understanding and addressing the impact of racism, particularly structural racism, on health is essential to building equity in health. As Health Affairs Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil wrote on Health Affairs Forefront in June 2020, the legacy of racism “is baked into our institutions, our thinking, and our policies.”

Racism must be explored as a key driver of health outcomes and health disparities. 

In today's episode, Health Affairs' Jessica Bylander and Leslie Erdelack discuss the publication process, main findings, and research insights from the Health Affairs February 2022 theme issue on racism and health.

Health Affairs thanks Rachel Hardeman of the University of Minnesota and José Figueroa of Harvard University, who served as theme issue advisers. Health Affairs also thanks the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the California Wellness Foundation, the Episcopal Health Foundation, the New York State Health Foundation, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for their generous support of this issue.

Order the February 2022 Health Affairs Racism and Health theme issue.

Related Links:

• Health Affairs Racism and Health Theme Issue
• Health Affairs' Interview with Harriet Washington, author of Medical Apartheid 
• Systemic and Structural Racism: Definitions, Examples, Health Damages, And Approaches To Dismantling (Health Affairs)
• Sick And Tired Of Being Excluded: Structural Racism In Disenfranchisement As A Threat To Population Health Equity (Health Affairs)
• The Mutually Reinforcing Cycle Of Poor Data Quality And