- After reading the feedback on my focusing flow chart and brainstorming connections to my public health major/specific interests, I narrowed down a direction I want to go with my research. As of now, I want to focus on the racial income inequality and connect this to health quality disparities (economic stability is one of the social determinants of health). For this topic, I will need to find multiple sources to tie it all together.
To start my research off, I logged in to the Syracuse Library Summon Database. I entered “income inequality race”, “social determinants of health”, “income plays a role in health”, and “income and health quality”. I briefly skimmed through the sources that appeared and determined I would have enough to work with. I also am in touch with the head of the Department of Public Health at Syracuse. I want to reach out to her and ask her questions about this topic and for solid research resources.
So far, I have not experienced any difficulties locating articles.
2. For one of my primary sources I want to have some sort of narrative. Throughout my blog responses and posts, I have repeatedly emphasized the importance of hearing the voices of those experiencing the oppression to better understand it and create change. I think an autobiographic article or an interview would fit best. I also would like data from experiments to back up my claims. Through numerical data, I can create graphic visuals to empathize the significance of these issues.
For my secondary sources, I want articles that help explain these concepts and connections. For example, I want to find background information about racial income inequality and social determinants of health. I also think understanding how individual and systemic (institutional and structural) racism plays a role into these issues would be extremely useful.
Additionally, I would like to hear the different perspectives of Researchers, Professors, and Experts who have invested significant time into unpacking these issues.
As stated above, I plan on using the Syracuse Library Summon Database, Google, and my public health professor to locate sources. Over the weekend, I want to compile the majority of my sources.
Hi Joanna,
I think that it is fantastic that you are going to be researching this. This is a huge problem in America right now, so it is great to shed some light on the situation. The first thing that pops into my head when I think about how income impacts the health of people is the insulin crisis. So many people struggle with the cost of it, the price makes it a luxury, but it is a necessity. I found a quick article that I skimmed real quick about one families experience and their struggle with the costs associated with diabetes.
https://www.richmondregister.com/news/the-price-of-life-local-diabetics-lobby-for-affordable-insulin-for-all/article_96a97789-520e-5112-b6ed-c039c9477e6b.html
There have been stories about people dying because they are having to ration their insulin which is unhealthy and ineffective. It is unfortunate and a real problem, so I am glad that you are focusing on income inequality and its connection to peoples health. I look forward to reading what you find about the topic and speaking to the head of the dept. of public health in Syracuse is a great place to start.
Having the stories of individuals who have experienced health difficulties due to their income level is essential in understanding what they go through. However, I think that it is great that you are looking at other perspectives, such as the perspectives of professors and researchers who study the issues in depth. I think that they will be able to provide for a less emotional perspective and more of an analytical approach to the problem, as well as maybe provide some solutions. It isn’t a quick fix, but sharing the issue about income inequality and the connection to health disparities is important.
Hi Joanna,
I like the way you brought focus to your topic and connect it to your public health major. From my own experience and observations, I definitely see the connection between economic stability and health. One of the things I always wonder about is whether it’s actually the money that lifts people or whether it’s the dignity from having a secure source of income or a meaningful role in society. Do people live healthier when they know other people are depending on them? Food for thought. I think your idea of including a narrative and the voices of those affected will be powerful. This is a much-needed area of research. I look forward to seeing how it turns out.
Joanna,
Your project topic sounds interesting, and I believe will yield value information in light of the recent COVID infections. I’ve seen different news stories connecting racial income inequality and COVID rates. I found an interesting article in Syracuse Summons titled “Unequal burdens: assessing the determinants of elevated COVID-19 case and death rates in New York City’s racial/ethnic minority neighbourhoods” by D. Phuong and Reanne Frank.
The focus on this study was New York City (NYC), the initial epicenter of the U.S. coronavirus outbreak. We know that NYC in particular suffered with COVID-19 cases and deaths. As quickly as the pandemic came on the region, the unequal burden of the disease became clear. In a pattern that has now been repeated across the country, data from New York suggested that racial/ethnic minority communities were disproportionately affected, both in terms of COVID-19 cases and mortality.
For COVID-19 case rates, the research connects two key factors; the level of neighborhood affluence and the proportion of essential workers in a community. Affluent neighborhoods are distinctively positioned to protect themselves from virus exposure. This could be due to higher income individuals tending to work in occupations that are more flexible to be performed remotely.
I guess I never considered that many of the people that initially contracted COVID in NYC were essential workers and that job status was a strong contributing factor.
Reference:
Do, D. P., & Frank, R. (2021;2020;). Unequal burdens: Assessing the determinants of elevated COVID-19 case and death rates in new york City’s racial/ethnic minority neighbourhoods. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health (1979), 75(4), 321-326. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2020-215280
Link- https://tinyurl.com/yzf4p5af
Hi Joanna,
I think you’ve come up with an excellent topic to research! I agree with Julia that speaking with your public health professor is a great idea. As you suggested, there are multiple intersecting factors leading to these health disparities. I think structural racism plays a huge role because low income among BIPOC is often a direct result of systemic racist practices that kept them from attaining good education, housing and employment with decent wages. As you know, most people obtain health insurance through their jobs. Usually better jobs have better insurance plans. People with good jobs live in neighborhoods with good services. Hospitals and medical care in poorer neighborhoods are generally not as good as those in richer neighborhoods. Another factor to look at is the historical context of how these groups of people are perceived by the majority society. In Harriet Washington’s book, “Medical Apartheid”, she examines how Black people were used for medical experimentation throughout America’s history. The Tuskegee Experiment is a well known one that comes to mind. I’m sure there is evidence of the same on other ethnic groups, poor people and anyone historically seen as an “undesirable”. So, if certain people have only been viewed as something to experiment on, their humanity is not acknowledged, therefore they may not receive the care they deserve. There are so many layers that could be examined on this issue, I’m excited to see what you come up with!
Hi Joanna,
I really like the topic you chose. It seems like you are have the research aspect of your argument mapped out. I am excited to see how you incorporate some of your own thoughts into your writing. I definitely agree that having the perspective of the oppressed makes for effective change. Income Inequality can have impacts on both the mind and the body, so an article that reflects this topic might strengthen your argument.
Your classmates have offered up some great recommendations for further reading–thanks, everyone!
I like that you’re considering how to complement statistical information with graphic and narrative elements in order to make a strong and comprehensible case to your readers. I look forward to seeing how this takes shape.