March 29, 2022

Morehouse School of Medicine Explores Pandemic Inequities in New Report

The Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine is shining a light on the continued burden of COVID-19 in the Black community through a new report developed in partnership with the Black Coalition Against COVID (BCAC) and the Equity Research and Innovation Center at Yale School of Medicine. The study, highlighted in a recent New York Times feature, explores how pre-existing structural and social inequities have led to a disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black Americans, including:

  • More hospitalizations and deaths
  • Barriers to testing and quality care
  • Greater financial strain, loss of caregivers and elders, deficiencies in educational learning, and food insecurity

The report examines the current state of the pandemic for Black Americans:

  • A positive trend in adult vaccination, on par with other racial/ethnic groups
  • Concerted efforts and targeted partnerships, often lead by Black Americans, that have resulted in more equitable access to COVID-19 resources
  • Educational and economic interventions that are working to limit longer-term harm from COVID-19 for Black Americans

Researchers identified areas of concern including inequities in the diagnosis and treatment of long COVID, the long-term symptoms that can emerge weeks to months after primary infection, and significant behavioral health challenges as a result of COVID-19. The report prioritizes 11 focus areas including investing in a more diverse health care workforce and providing educational opportunities, expanding affordable and equitable access to therapies and increasing representation in clinical trials, especially for long COVID.

About More in Common Alliance

The More in Common Alliance is a partnership between Morehouse School of Medicine and CommonSpirit Health. Morehouse School of Medicine is a historically Black medical school and one of America’s leading educators of primary care physicians, and CommonSpirit Health is one of America’s largest health systems with locations in 21 states from coast to coast. Knowing patients consistently fare better when treated by clinicians of similar backgrounds who share lived experiences, the More in Common Alliance seeks to address critical gaps in care by increasing cultural competency and expanding representation. Together, we are leading a 10-year, $100-million initiative to expand undergraduate and graduate medical education to build a more diverse and dynamic workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

About CommonSpirit Health

CommonSpirit Health is a nonprofit, Catholic health system dedicated to advancing health for all people. It was created in February 2019 by Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health. With its national office in Chicago and a team of over 150,000 employees and 25,000 physicians and advanced practice clinicians, CommonSpirit operates 140 hospitals and more than 1,500 care sites across 21 states. In FY 2021, CommonSpirit had revenues of $33.3 billion and provided $5.1 billion in charity care, community benefit, and unreimbursed government programs. Learn more at www.commonspirit.org.

About Morehouse School of Medicine

Founded in 1975, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) is among the nation’s leading educators of primary care physicians, biomedical scientists, and public health professionals. An independent and private historically-Black medical school, MSM was recognized by the Annals of Internal Medicine as the nation’s number one medical school in fulfilling a social mission—the creation and advancement of health equity. MSM faculty and alumni are noted for excellence in teaching, research, and public policy, as well as exceptional patient care. MSM is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award doctoral and master’s degrees. To learn more about programs and donate today, please visit www.msm.edu or call (404) 752-1500.