BOSTON – A new report says racial and social inequalities have led to different outcomes for blacks and Latinos during the pandemic, and it calls on the state to take action to alleviate disparities in the healthcare system.
The report, produced by the Legislature’s Health Equity Task Force, concludes that the coronavirus has taken a disproportionate toll in terms of serious illness and death among blacks and Latinos in Massachusetts.
Blacks and Latinos have died from COVID-19 at a much higher rate than whites, he concludes, due to deep-rooted health inequities.
To date, the virus has killed more than 17,600 people in the state.
The report cites unequal access to resources and limited “educational, social, political and economic opportunities†for minorities.
The report was written by a 16-member group of lawmakers, doctors and healthcare executives. They have been assigned by the legislature to address health disparities for underserved or underrepresented populations “based on culture, race, ethnicity, language, disability, ‘gender identity, sexual orientation or geographic location’.
A lack of jobs and economic opportunities is a major contributor to inequality, according to the panel, which noted the Federal Reserve’s recent “Color of Wealth in Boston†report. This study found that the median net worth, or the value of assets minus debt, is $ 247,500 among white Boston households, while the median net worth of black households is only $ 8.
“It is inequalities like this in wealth that lead directly to inequalities in health,” wrote the authors of the Health Equity report.
The panel made a number of recommendations to address disparities in health care, including the creation of a new cabinet-level “equity executive office†to oversee efforts on equity, diversity. and inclusion.
Panelists called for more support for anti-poverty programs such as food stamps, cash assistance and an expansion of the state’s earned income tax credit.
State leaders must quickly strengthen local public health systems serving low-income and minority communities who were on the front lines of the pandemic, the panelists said.
They also recommended a review to ensure that state spending on the federal pandemic is fairly distributed.
“It is often said that you can determine an entity’s priorities by looking at its budget,” conclude the authors of the report. “Let us make it clear in the Commonwealth’s budget plans that equity is the number one priority.”
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 36% of COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts have affected blacks and Hispanics, who make up just 19% of the state’s population. Meanwhile, black and Latino residents of Massachusetts have received 16% of the COVID-19 vaccines administered in the state.
Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for The Salem News and its sister newspapers and websites. Email him at [email protected].