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.
Related Stories
Putting preschool into perspective
July 20, 2026
Preschool and childcare can be difficult to navigate for parents, as Spectrum News 1 Ohio recently reported. Waitlists are long, and factors like cost, location and transportation can limit options. According to a recent study published by The Annie E. Casey Foundation, only 41% of 3- to 4-year-olds in Ohio were enrolled in preschool between 2020 and 2024 — a 4% decrease from pre-pandemic numbers. For University of Cincinnati early childhood education faculty member Chad Nunamaker, that statistic has caveats.
Ticks that survive pesticides can withstand colder winters
July 17, 2026
Ticks that survive less-than-lethal doses of pesticide are able to withstand dangerous cold, which could help them expand their range farther north, according to researchers at the University of Cincinnati and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Why does it feel like so many Cincinnati restaurants close?
July 17, 2026
WLWT and the Cincinnati Enquirer cited UC research in reports on recent restaurant closures in the city.