JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the functioning of our societies, whilst claiming the lives of more than 4.3 million people worldwide. It has also revealed deeply entrenched structural inequalities that resulted in an excess of mortality and morbidity in certain racial and ethnic groups. This paper examines the structural drawbacks that foster racial inequities in health in general and with respect to the ongoing pandemic. Importantly, aspects related to structural racism in healthcare and a defective collection of data on minorities are explored and analyzed. The overall objective of this viewpoint is to inform health policy-making with regard to the development of ethically sound public health interventions against COVID-19, and in connection with the development of precision public health approaches. Particular attention is given to components of structural racism that are likely to hinder such approaches from achieving their social justice and health equity goals.