National Minority Health Month: Steps Minorities Can Take Against COVID-19
April 2022 marks the annual observance of National Minority Health Month which is designed to spotlight the importance of improving health in racial and ethnic minorities to reduce health disparities.
The theme for this year’s event “Give Your Community a Boost!” focuses on the importance of primary COVID-19 vaccination and appropriate boosters to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.1 COVID-19 has disproportionately affected communities of color. Some racial and ethnic minorities – including African American, Black, Latino, Hispanic, and Native American groups – have been shown in studies to be at increased risk for getting sick and having more severe outcomes, including death from COVID-19.2 In fact, adjusted for population, those who are non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic or Latino, and people who identify with more than one race and are non-Hispanic, were more likely to have positive COVID-19 test results as compared with non-Hispanic white or non-Hispanic Asian people.3
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) is working to get the message out to those most impacted communities to increase vaccination rates. In addition to promoting the importance of getting and staying current on all COVID-19 vaccines, OMH is also focusing on following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s recommendations to prevent COVID-19 transmission. These include physical distancing, avoiding crowded indoor spaces, adequate ventilation, and the use of well-fitting high-quality masks.1
Historically, minority communities have faced racism and discrimination as well as abuses and a negative legacy health care experience by prior generations.4, 5 Additionally, misinformation about current healthcare concerns has become a growing issue and has often resulted in distrust of healthcare providers. It is important to help combat this false information by providing communities with ready access to factual information.6
There are multiple reasons why minority communities have lower rates of COVID-19 vaccination. Some of them include the following:
• Physical Environment – Minorities often face difficulties finding affordable, quality housing. As a result, this may lead to more crowded living conditions which can result in an inability to isolate when ill. Lack of transportation can also present mobility limitation. Access to high quality and affordable food may be an issue in these communities and some communities also suffer from a higher level of environmental pollution, both of which can result in a decline in health.7,9
• Healthcare – Communities where minority populations live may result in a lack of access to quality healthcare. Additionally, historical medical racism and experimentation as well as inequities in treatment may lead to distrust. Also lack of access to COVID-19 testing has been an issue.7,8, 9, 10
• Occupation - Racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to work in conditions where they will be exposed to COVID-19, such as factories, farms, retail, public transportation, or healthcare settings. These settings often don’t provide for work-at-home options or sick days.7,9
• Income – Minorities with lower incomes often have a more challenging time with expenses such as healthcare, food and childcare making access more difficult.7, 8, 9, 10
• Education – Inequities in accessing high quality education7 often more greatly racial and ethnic minorities than other groups.
• Higher Incidence Of Chronic Diseases – Minority communities often suffer from higher levels of diseases such as hypertension, asthma, diabetes, obesity, stroke, and kidney disease, all of which can lead to poorer health outcomes.10, 11
Steps Minority Populations Can Take
While COVID-19 has disproportionately affected communities of color, there are steps minority populations can take to combat their risk for severe COVID-19:
• Get your shot. Get fully vaccinated for COVID-19, including all boosters, as you become eligible.1
• Follow COVID-19 protocols. As appropriate, follow other COVID-19 risk reduction methods, such as wearing a mask, social distancing, avoiding crowded, poorly ventilated areas, and isolating when ill.13
• Eat a healthy diet. Choose foods low in saturated fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium) and added sugars. Make sure to include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. Being an appropriate weight can help reduce the risk for severe COVID-19.11
• Exercise regularly. Regular activity can improve sleep quality, decrease stress, and may boost your immune system. It can also decrease your chances of severe COVID-19 by helping to prevent diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.11
• Get your sleep. Getting enough sleep each night is very important. Not getting enough sleep has been linked to depression, and chronic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.11,12
People with underlying specialty medical conditions, such as cancer, cystic fibrosis, HIV, and solid organ transplant are at higher risk for complications from COVID-19 and should be sure to receive all primary COVID-19 vaccinations and all boosters as indicated.14 Your specialty pharmacist would be able to provide assistance as well as additional information.
Sources:
1 https://www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov/nmhm/
4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8604693/
5 https://ascpt.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cts.13077
6 https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/health-departments/addressing-vaccine-misinformation.html
8 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/health-equity/vaccine-equity.html
9 https://www.epi.org/publication/black-workers-covid/external icon
10 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7537778/
11 https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/obesity-and-covid-19.html
13 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html
14 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/clinical-care/underlyingconditions.html
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