Medicine and race have been linked since time immemorial. Over the past 100-150 years, records have been maintained recording health disparities between white and non-white individuals, and the impact of race on access to medical care. Most recently, the CoVID-19 pandemic highlighted disparities in access to health care, treatment, and outcomes. In Part I of this lecture (Dec 24), we reviewed examples of the impact of race on medical treatment and discussed well-known cases that have impacted medicine and the medical field in the United States and abroad. Part II will briefly review information covered in Part I and will expand on this topic to provide additional examples and include the impact of social determinants of health on communities of color, including economic stability, access to and qualify of education, healthcare quality and access, neighborhood and environment, and social and community context.

This lecture is part of the FABulous Fall Lecture Series and takes place online via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.