BALTIMORE, October 21, 2024— A new article published in Academic Pediatrics is calling for stronger health equity practices to improve well-being for all children, especially children of color who disproportionally bear the burden of racism. Experts at Kennedy Krieger Institute, featured in a special publication on racism in pediatrics, are highlighting the negative impacts it has on children's health in the United States.
The article details how institutional racism and socio-economic disparities directly affect a person’s health. Historically, institutional racism has led to residential segregation, poor schooling, and employment discrimination. As a result, children in Black, Hispanic, Native American, and other marginalized communities face significant health challenges due to these systemic inequalities.
Dr. Harolyn M.E. Belcher, Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer, and Director of the Office for Health, Equity, Inclusion and Diversity, is the lead author of the article. With over 30 years of expertise, she notes that the statistics are both upsetting and unsurprising.
“Black and Brown children are more likely to have lower access to essential needs like clean water, healthy food choices, well-resourced educational environments, and secure housing,” Dr. Belcher said. “There are challenges that begin early, are enduring, and impact the child and family’s health and wellbeing.”
Dr. Belcher’s article is featured in the special issue of Academic Pediatrics which was created to advance an anti-racism practices within pediatric medicine. Serving as a guide, it urges pediatricians, academic institutions, policymakers, community and state leaders, healthcare organizations, and researchers to act to identify and eliminate institutional racism.
The key findings from the research include:
Minority children in the U.S. face extreme poverty rates, with 29.6% of American Indian/Alaska Native and 27.3% of Black children living in poverty.
Among industrialized nations, the U.S. has the worse pregnancy and neonatal health outcomes for all women.
Women of color, especially Black and Native American women, have over twice the pregnancy death rate as their White and Asian peers.
Segregation and racist housing policies limit access to clean environments, quality education, and healthcare, increasing the risk for conditions like asthma among children.
Disparities in school funding and resources disadvantage youth of color, leading to poorer academic outcomes and health literacy.
In 2021, the U.S. accounted for 97% of all gun-related deaths among children in 11 high-income countries, disproportionately affecting children of color.
Dr. Belcher says these factors impact a child’s mental health, as well.
“Anxiety and depression rates are rising among children of color,” Dr. Belcher said. “In addition to the stresses from the COVID-19 pandemic, lack of investment and resources in communities and schools play a key role.”
Hospitals and healthcare organizations can combat these inequities by ensuring equity-based and culturally relevant care. At Kennedy Krieger Institute, the Center for Diversity in Public Health Leadership Training is developing an emerging workforce to research, teach, and implement these equity-based practices here in Baltimore and across the nation and territories.
"We are training scholars and leaders to use culturally relevant, evidence-based, and health equity approaches in research, practice, and advocacy to promote optimal child and youth brain development," Dr. Belcher said. "This is a step forward we encourage every health organization to take."
Dr. Belcher emphasizes the need to eliminate structural racism from policies, legislation, and systems such as workplace discrimination and biased hiring processes. She believes that national and local agencies must work together to tackle these systemic issues for better health outcomes.
"The entire country needs intentional efforts to truly address the root causes of health disparities among our children," Dr. Belcher said. "We have the tools and capability. By promoting social justice and ensuring equity-based access to healthcare and resources, we can create a society where health and wellbeing are possible for everyone."
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About Kennedy Krieger Institute:
Kennedy Krieger Institute, an internationally known nonprofit organization located in the greater Baltimore-Washington, D.C., region, transforms the lives of more than 27,000 individuals a year through inpatient and outpatient medical, behavioral health and wellness therapies; home and community services; school-based programs; training and education for professionals; and advocacy. Kennedy Krieger provides a wide range of services for children, adolescents and adults with diseases, disorders and injuries that impact the nervous system, ranging from mild to severe. The Institute is home to a team of investigators who contribute to the understanding of how disorders develop while at the same time pioneering new interventions and methods of early diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Visit KennedyKrieger.org for more information about Kennedy Krieger.
