WCPO: Inside the fight to declare racism a public health crisis in Ohio

UC vice provost discusses health disparities, race and its impact

WCPO aired a special segment looking at a move by an Ohio State Senate committee to consider a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis. Black Americans are twice as likely as other groups to die of COVID-19. Even before they pandemic, they faced higher levels of heart disease, stroke and maternal mortality; publicly documented cases have found doctors failing to trust Black patients' descriptions of their own symptoms. What would it mean for Ohio to recognize racism as a public health crisis? Chris Lewis, MD, vice provost at the University of Cincinnati and associate professor of family medicine, discusses social determinants of health and the impact racial inequalities have on public health as part of WCPO's coverage.

See the special WCPO segment online.

Featured photo is of Chris Lewis, MD, in the UC College of Medicine by Colleen Kelley/UC Creative + Brand.

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