Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) is a collective term used by researchers and medical professionals to describe the myriad of factors that contribute to our living and work environments and our ability to survive and thrive. These factors include, but are not limited to, law implementation & enforcement, economics, housing, education, food access, and access to healthcare.

The research and data are clear that Black Americans’ SDOH are disproportionately negative. From chronic environment-related conditions such as diabetes, asthma and hypertension to excessive use of force and other misconduct by law enforcement, Black Americans experience devastating outcomes.

The root cause of these adverse health and related outcomes for Black Americans is structural racism. Structural Racism is a system of policies, practices, and norms that directly and indirectly determine opportunity based on the way people look or the color of their skin. It negatively affects the mental and physical health of millions of Black Americans, impacting their morbidity, mortality and quality of life.

It is time we identified and solved for the root causes of structural racism by acknowledging the problem and declaring racism a public health crisis. Standing with more than 200 local and state government entities, CEO Action for Racial Equity supports declaring racism a public health crisis at all levels of government to take action to improve the quality of life for Black Americans.

Watch the ways in which SDOH obstacles lead to more negative health outcomes for historically marginalized communities, especially Black Americans, and the societal opportunities if we address these inequities through clear and targeted policies, rooted in equity. For a deeper dive into taking action, visit the CEOARE Racial Equity Implementation Framework.

• Black families have a net worth that is 10x less than white families.
• Black women are 3-4x more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than White women.
• Black Americans have the highest hospitalization rate at nearly 4x the rate of White Americans.
• Even when no arrests are made, Black Americans are 21% more likely to experience some form of physical force during interactions with the police.