Expanding the African-American Studies Paradigm to Include Health: a Novel Approach to Promoting Health Equity

Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health [care] is the most shocking and inhumane. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King’s declaration in 1966 speaks to the unrealized ideal of equal and appropriate attention to health as a human right and is echoed by the World Health Organization, which describes “the highest attainable standard of health”as a “fundamental right of every human being” (WHO 2012). Proponents of social justice share this view and understand the paradigmatic shift in thought and deed necessary to bring this view to reality (Marmot and Bell 2009; Hofrichter 2003). Inherent in the perspective of holding health as a human right is the notion of the “universal cultural value” of health as an indicator of the well-being of a community and the status of its members (Pinkney 2000, p.131). When health is robust, communities flourish. When health is compromised, communities are weakened. For marginalized individuals and communities,the notion of health is a ubiquitous yet often suppressed concern, until it becomes too great to ignore. Even then, without appropriate resources and support, it can be difficult to significantly reverse the course of poor health outcomes. African Americans bear a greater burden of death and disease compared to Whites. This speaks to the reduced vitality of African-American communities and underscores a history of marginalized citizenship. Further, those with lower socioeconomic statuses (SES) do not fare nearly as well on indices of health as those with higher SES (Banks et al. 2006). The complex mix of race and class has had severe consequences on the health of African Americans, resulting in disparities in health and health care that for many constitute a public health crisis (Satcher Health Leadership Institute, n.d.). Addressing these disparities requires innovative, multi-pronged approaches. One such approach involves a targeted expansion of the African-American studies paradigm to include health.The purpose of this discussion is to offer justification for expanding the African-American studies paradigm using a public health-oriented approach, specifically grounded in health education and promotion, to examine health disparities as a point of emphasis with a focus on social determinants of health.This discussion also offers practical recommendations for incorporating health in Black studies and presents dual models of inclusion.