Health Disparities in our Lives and Communities

Discussion Topic: Health Disparities in our Lives and Communities

LINK TO TEXTBOOK PDF: 
Discussion Question:
After reading chapter 12 (Title: Health Inequalities, Environmental Racism, and Environmental Justice), please pick a quote and discuss why you like it or why it made an impression on you.  For example, you can discuss what it adds to your knowledge about race and racism or you can explain what it helps you to understand about a health experience or circumstances from your own life.  The focus of the analysis should be on your own self (e.g. your own views, experiences, beliefs, thoughts, etc.)

Include the following components in your submission:

Provide the page number for the quote

Be sure the emphasis of your analysis is on how you were affected or especially struck by the quote you picked

Provide meaningful feedback to at least 1 classmate (minimum of 5 sentences; thoughtful responses express how you connect or relate to the post and can also add on thoughts in response to the content of the original post)

Repspond to this classmate: 

One quote that made a significant impression on me was when Boza mentioned how in 2009, Barack Obama said “Native Americans die of illnesses like tuberculosis, alcoholism, diabetes, pneumonia and influenza at far higher rates” (Boza, 375). This quote is important to me because it highlights the severe health issues that Native Americans face. When President Barack Obama said it in 2009, it made me realize how deeply rooted and serious these issues are, which was affecting real peoples lives. It struck me the most because it showed that despite the modern advancements that we have, many Native American communities still suffer from preventable disease at much higher rates than others. This emphasizes the need for more attention/action to improve their well health/well being. I also believe that this quote opened my eyes to the real impact of racism on health. It made me realize that racial inequality isn’t just about things like social/economic factors but also deeply affects someones wellbeing. It made me think about my own health experiences and how different they might of been if I was in a marginalized group. For example, I cant imagine myself being sick and not getting the type of treatment to cure whatever I have. It will feel like nobody cares for me just because of my ethnicity or the color of my skin. This understanding strengthened my belief in the fact that we need to address these disparities and need to work towards equal healthcare for everyone, regardless of what someones race is. 

– Brian Mansoury