Read Recent Entries. The present health crisis for racial minorities in the United States is part of a long continuum dating back over 400 years. Since 1975 minority health status has steadily eroded and there has been no significant improvements in the removal of barriers that are due to institutional racism. Health Status and Institutional Racism. Because of institutional racism, minorities have less education and fewer educational opportunities.
Minorities are disproportionately homeless and have significantly poorer housing options.
Racial residential segregation contributes to the concentration of poverty in minority communities. Communities with a high proportion of minorities are more likely than predominantly white communities to be exposed to environmental toxins, including lead and asbestos. Minority communities are frequently the targets of institutions promoting unhealthy products, such as alcohol and tobacco. Thus, the current health status disparity of minorities is the cumulative result of both past and current racism throughout the American culture. Manifestation of Institutional Racism in US Health Care.