Structural Racism and Health
People established laws and practices that perpetuate barriers to health equity.
We can reinvent them.
We all want to live in a country where everyone—no matter their race, ethnicity, or class—has a fair and just opportunity to reach their best health and wellbeing. But unfair treatment based on race, referred to as structural racism, prevents this. It is built into our laws and policies, making it much harder for some of us to access respectful healthcare, affordable homes, well-funded schools and parks, and good jobs—all of which affect health.
But since people created these laws and policies, we can change them. At RWJF, we’re determined to do so. We’re working to break down barriers to health and build a future where everyone can live the healthiest life possible in the place they call home.
In this collection, we share research and perspectives about how race, racism and health are connected. It underscores the urgent need to work together to create the healthy, thriving communities we all deserve.
Structural Racism and Health Messaging Guide
Browse resources to help talk about issues of health equity, including durable and persuasive messages, metaphors, and visual cues to communicate about the connection between racism and health.
Featured Content
Tackling Structural Racism In Health
Papers in this Health Affairs issue explore the systems and structures that are shaped by racism and in turn shape health and healthcare.
RWJF and 80 Other Foundations Make a Case for Reparations
“We will never close the health gap in America if we do not close the wealth gap that stems directly from the atrocities of slavery and centuries of racist policies and practices in the United States,” said Richard Besser, RWJF president and CEO.
Addressing Racism in Research Can Transform Public Health
Researchers—and all those who apply it—must collectively hold accountable the systems allowing racism to continue to be a barrier to health equity. Together, we can ensure that health and social policies positively affect all communities.
Understanding and Mitigating Health Inequities, Past, Current, and Future Direction
Eliminating health disparities will require a movement away from disparities as the focus of research and toward a research agenda centered on achieving racial equity by dismantling structural racism. Perspectives from RWJF Alumna Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, President and CEO Richard Besser, and Trustee David Williams.
Related News and Insights
Read expert perspectives and the latest research from RWJF to explore the opportunities and complexities of this topic.
Blog Post
How Can We Use Conversation to Confront Racism?
Here’s how conversations can help us advance racial justice and build hope for a better future.
Ambitious Goals to Transform Health in Our Lifetime
7-min read
Why We Are Defending Policy Tools That Advance Equity
5-min read
Reimagining the Tax System to Strengthen Family Wellbeing
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