Addressing Health Equity Through Peer Equity Navigation (PEN) Program and Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) |Biomedgrid

In Canada there is widespread recognition that the social determinants of health (SDOH) account for the disproportionate health risks and health inequities experienced within its population. The World Health Organization (WHO) commission on the SDOH, explicitly recognizes racism as contributors to socio-economic position, a key structural determinant of health. People of African descent in the western nations, including Canada, are more prone to pre-existing health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, and high blood pressure. They represent some of the most vulnerable populations in terms of their susceptibility to health risks, receipt of adequate care, and chances of recovery [1]. Social determinants, including structural inequities and discrimination, are known to account for the disproportionate health risks and differential health outcomes experienced in African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) populations [2-4]. Racism affects people not only at an interpersonal level, but also through the broader structures of society, most notably in the systems of education, justice, media, policing, immigration, and employment, as well as through hate activities and government policies. With respect to COVID-19, excessive cases and deaths have been attributed to disproportionately higher rates of co-morbid conditions (e.g., diabetes, hypertension) in these communities [5], as well as structural factors related to income, employment, food insecurity, and the built environment, such as necessitating risky working conditions outside the home and the use of public transportation [6,7]. Moreover, the same population is overrepresented in jails/prisons [8] where social distancing is impossible. In Canada data is limited, but we know from national surveys that Black Canadians exceed 50% on economic vulnerabilities arising from the COVID-19 crisis; 61% have seen a decrease in their income, 50% have difficulty meeting their financial obligations, and 47% are unable to pay their mortgage or rent on time [9].