The Time Is Now: Racism and the Responsibility of Emergency Medicine to Be Antiracist

• Published in: Annals of emergency medicine Vol. 78; no. 5; pp. 577 - 586
• Main Authors: Franks, Nicole M., Gipson, Katrina, Kaltiso, Sheri-Ann, Osborne, Anwar, Heron, Sheryl L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-11-2021; by the American College of Emergency Physicians
• Subjects: COVID-19 - epidemiology; Cultural Competency; Cultural Diversity; Emergency Medical Services - organization & administration; Emergency Medicine - education; Emergency Medicine - organization & administration; Health Policy; Health Policy/Concepts; Health Status Disparities; Humans; Pandemics; Prejudice; Racism; SARS-CoV-2; Social Determinants of Health; United States - epidemiology; United States
• ISSN: 0196-0644; 1097-6760
• DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2021.05.003

The COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on the ongoing pandemic of racial injustice. In the context of these twin pandemics, emergency medicine organizations are declaring that “Racism is a Public Health Crisis.” Accordingly, we are challenging emergency clinicians to respond to this emergency and commit to being antiracist. This courageous journey begins with naming racism and continues with actions addressing the intersection of racism and social determinants of health that result in health inequities. Therefore, we present a social-ecological framework that structures the intentional actions that emergency medicine must implement at the individual, organizational, community, and policy levels to actively respond to this emergency and be antiracist.