Structural racism is causing serious health disparities among people from some ethnic backgrounds in London, according to research by one of the UK’s top public health experts.
In London, more than half (52%) of black children and almost three-quarters (70%) of children from Bangladesh and Pakistan have lower housing costs compared to a quarter (26%) of white children. are growing up in relative poverty.
And the unemployment rate for young black people between the ages of 16 and 24 is more than twice that of white people of the same age, the newspaper said. Gypsy, Roma and Irish Travelers have the highest proportion of young people at 40%.
The research, conducted by the UCL Institute for Health Equity (IHE) led by Professor Sir Michael Marmot, found that people who are repeatedly exposed to structural racism in their daily lives experience physical and It was discovered that he was experiencing a deterioration in his mental health. It also says that ethnic inequalities in poverty, housing and employment contribute to poor health outcomes for these ethnic groups.
The report concluded that these economic inequalities, which can be attributed to structural racism, are contributing to poorer health outcomes for minority groups in London. This is because minority groups are less likely to have access to adequate housing, nutritious food, and other factors that affect an individual’s health status.
Marmot, director of IHE and author of a seminal review of health inequalities in the UK in 2010, said structural racism is a “scar of society” and that public health institutions need to understand how racism can affect people. He said it was failing by not directly addressing the health impacts of the pandemic. .
“Social justice requires us to take the necessary actions to address it. When health conditions are unequally distributed by ethnicity, that’s a grave injustice,” Marmot said. said. “This is especially true when the evils of racism result in unequal distribution. Inequalities in the social determinants of health are precipitating future health problems.”
He added: “Focusing on disease and health services does not address the three impacts of racism on health. First, how does racism directly damage health and well-being? Second, some ethnic groups live in poverty, experience poor housing, suffer in the educational and criminal justice systems, and experience low wages, racial discrimination, and poor employment prospects. All of these are likely reasons for poor health. Third, it does not address the racism that worsens the experience of health care and other services and therefore worsens outcomes.”
Professor Kevin Fenton, Director of Public Health for the City of London and Head of the School of Public Health, said: “This new report shows that structural racism will continue to have a devastating impact on the health and wellbeing of Londoners in 2024. It clearly shows that.”
“This joins a growing body of research that provides evidence of the persistent and pervasive harmful effects of structural racism and why addressing these issues must move forward as important public health issues.” It will be added.”
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Mr Fenton added: “It is time to learn the lessons of the coronavirus pandemic, the murder of George Floyd and the recent race riots across the UK. It is plaguing our society and has a direct impact on society,” he added. Even in a global city like London, British life remains the same.
“The data on racial inequality in London, a multicultural metropolis, is grim and we need to learn lessons for the rest of the UK to protect and improve the health of ethnic minority communities and protect society. We must advance recommendations to ensure that all people in the world are healthy and able to reach their full potential. ”
Professor Habib Naqvi, chief executive of the NHS Race and Health Observatory, said: ‘We know that racism is an issue that transcends borders and boundaries, and although this report focuses on London, We hope this will have a far-reaching impact across the UK.”
“Racism has deep historical roots. It is pervasive and built into the fabric of our society. We find ourselves at the right time in history. Now is the time to wake up to the scale of inequality, rid our societies of the scourge of racism, and improve health for all.”
