Skip to main content
Chamberlain University, College of Nursing and Health Professionals
Menu

Mobile Main navigation

  • About
    • Accreditation
    • Alumni
    • Blog
    • Chamberlain Care
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • History
    • Newsroom
    • Online Education
    • Our Vision
    • Student Consumer Information
  • Academics
    • College of Nursing
      • 3-Year Bachelor of Science in Nursing
      • RN to BSN Option
      • RN to MSN Options
      • Certificate Programs
      • Master of Science in Nursing
      • MSN - Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice
    • College of Health Professions
      • Public Health Certificate Programs
      • Master of Physician Assistant Studies
      • Master of Public Health
      • Master of Social Work
    • Academic Resources
      • Academic Calendar
      • College Catalog
      • Curriculum Plans
  • Campus & Online
    • Campus
    • AZ - Phoenix
    • CA - Irwindale
    • CA - Sacramento
    • FL - Jacksonville
    • FL - Miramar
    • GA - Atlanta
    • IL - Addison
    • IL - Chicago
    • IL - Tinley Park
    • IN - Indianapolis
    • LA - New Orleans
    • MI - Troy
    • MO - St. Louis
    • NV - Las Vegas
    • NJ - North Brunswick
    • NC - Charlotte
    • OH - Cleveland
    • OH - Columbus
    • TX - Houston
    • TX - Irving
    • TX - Pearland
    • TX - San Antonio
    • VA - Tysons Corner
    • BSN Online Option
    • Post-Licensure & Graduate
      • RN to BSN Option
      • RN to MSN Option
      • Master of Science in Nursing
      • MSN - Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice
      • Master of Physician Assistant Studies
      • Master of Public Health
      • Master of Social Work
  • Admission & Financial Aid
    • Admission
      • Transfer Guide
      • Catalog
      • Academic Calendar
      • Military Information
    • Financial Aid
      • Tuition & Expenses
      • Types of Financial Assistance
      • Financial Forms
      • Educational Healthcare Partners
      • Loans
      • Work Study
      • Grants
      • Scholarships

Mobile Secondary Navigation

  • Apply
  • Request More Info
  • Request More Info
  • Call
  • Apply
  • Request Info
  • Request Info

Mobile Utility Navigation

  • Current Students
  • Prospective Students
  • Transfers
  • Military
  • Alumni
  • Partners
  • Employers

Top Utility Navigation

  • Current Students
  • Information For
    • Current Students
    • Prospective Students
    • Transfers
    • Military
    • Alumni
    • Partners
    • Employers
  • Chat
  • 877.751.5783
Chamberlain University, College of Nursing and Health Professionals

Main Header navigation

  • About

    About

    Chamberlain University has a 130-year history preparing extraordinary nursing graduates and healthcare professionals. 

    • Accreditation
    • Alumni
    • Blog
    • Chamberlain Care
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • History
    • Newsroom
    • Online Education
    • Our Vision
    • Student Consumer Information
  • Academics

    Academics

    Whether you're an aspiring nurse looking to launch a rewarding career, a nursing professional looking to advance your career, or a professional looking to impact public health, Chamberlain offers the degree programs, options and resources to help you succeed.

    • College of Nursing
      • 3-Year Bachelor of Science in Nursing
      • RN to BSN Option
      • RN to MSN Options
      • Certificate Programs
      • Master of Science in Nursing
      • MSN - Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice
    • College of Health Professions
      • Public Health Certificate Programs
      • Master of Physician Assistant Studies
      • Master of Public Health
      • Master of Social Work
    • Academic Resources
      • Academic Calendar
      • College Catalog
      • Curriculum Plans
  • Campus & Online

    On Campus & Online

    Interested in becoming a nurse?
    Earn your BSN at one of 23 campuses located across the country, in just 3 years

    • Campus
    • AZ - Phoenix
    • CA - Irwindale
    • CA - Sacramento
    • FL - Jacksonville
    • FL - Miramar
    • GA - Atlanta
    • IL - Addison
    • IL - Chicago
    • IL - Tinley Park
    • IN - Indianapolis
    • LA - New Orleans
    • MI - Troy
    • MO - St. Louis
    • NV - Las Vegas
    • NJ - North Brunswick
    • NC - Charlotte
    • OH - Cleveland
    • OH - Columbus
    • TX - Houston
    • TX - Irving
    • TX - Pearland
    • TX - San Antonio
    • VA - Tysons Corner
    • BSN Online Option Clinical in select states
    • Post-Licensure & Graduate
      • RN to BSN Option
      • RN to MSN Option
      • Master of Science in Nursing
      • MSN - Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
      • MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner
      • Doctor of Nursing Practice
      • Master of Physician Assistant Studies
      • Master of Public Health
      • Master of Social Work
  • Admission & Financial Aid

    Admission & Financial Aid

    Chamberlain is committed to providing quality and accessible healthcare and nursing education. Our team is with you every step of the way, providing the information you need to make the decisions that best serve you.

    • Admission
      • Transfer Guide
      • Catalog
      • Academic Calendar
      • Military Information
    • Financial Aid
      • Tuition & Expenses
      • Types of Financial Assistance
      • Financial Forms
      • Educational Healthcare Partners
      • Loans
      • Work Study
      • Grants
      • Scholarships

Secondary Header Navigation

  • Apply
  • Request More Info
  • Request More Info
  • Call
  • Apply
  • Request Info
  • Request Info

Featured

nursing student holding tablet and glancing out of a window
8 Great Reasons to Earn Your Master of…
Dr. Melani Bell mentors Chamberlain student
Why I Chose Chamberlain… Again
Nurse fist bumping with child
5 Great Reasons to Earn Your MSN Degree…

Tags

Browse articles by category
Alumni
Campus News
Careers
Health Professions
Nursing Today
Tips for Students

Share

Blog Social Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • LinkedIn
  • Home / Blog / Health Professions / COVID-19 and Race - What Do We Know So Far?

COVID-19 and Race - What Do We Know So Far?

December 08, 2020 by Kate Rice
COVID-19 VIRUS

COVID-19 cases have surged to a record breaking 199,988 new cases per day (as of December 2, 2020.) With more than 274,000 COVID-19-related deaths in the United States thus far, it is important to start thinking about how this virus affects different populations in our country. 

According to the CDC, race and ethnicity are significant risk factors for underlying conditions that contribute to higher COVID-19 infection and death rates. Some of the conditions that impact risk the most include socio-economic status (poverty), access to health care (poverty), and increased exposure to the virus due to occupation (essential and frontline workers, critical infrastructure workers).  

What Do We Know About COVID-19 and Race? 

So far, we know there is a higher COVID-19 infection and death rate among minority communities.  The CDC suggests African Americans and Hispanic Americans are more likely to encounter COVID-19 or have higher risk factors that predispose them to direct contact with the virus. Based on this information, one might conclude that COVID-19 is impacting Black and Brown communities at disproportionate rates, underlying decades of discrimination rooted in structural racism and healthcare inequity. 

“When America Catches a Cold, the Black Community Catches Pneumonia” 

According to Dr. Gil Singletary, Chamberlain University’s senior director of the College of Health Professions, the above is an adage of the Black community.  

"I can remember my grandfather saying this to me as a kid,” said Dr. Singletary, PhD, JD, MBA, MSW, LCSW. “Granted, at the time I didn’t really know the meaning of what he was saying. Now, I think the message is clear. In Chicago, African Americans make up only 30% of the population, but account for 60% of COVID-19 deaths. Similar trends exist in Milwaukee, Detroit, New Orleans, and other areas with dense populations of African Americans.” 

COVID-19 and Minority Communities
COVID-19 and Minority Communities

Statistics from the CDC show how much higher the COVID-19 infection, hospitalizations and death rates amongst Black and Indigenous people, as compared to the white population.  

There are also striking infection increases in the Hispanic community, who are 2.8x more likely to become infected and 4.6x more likely to be hospitalized. The COVID-19 mortality rate is considerably lower for the Hispanic community, as compared to Indigenous and Black communities. 

Based on these statistics alone, it is easy to draw a basic correlation between COVID-19 and race. Clearly conditions that impact marginalized communities (in general) also impact infection and mortality rates. 

Race and Comorbidities for COVID-19 

Key factors that contribute to higher COVID-19 infection and mortality rates are the presence of underlying comorbidities - such as asthma, hypertension, diabetes, being overweight and being over 65 years of age. 

Research shows that Black and Brown people are between 39.5% and 45.2% more likely to have hypertension (variable based on sex). We also know that Black and Brown people are 77% more likely to have diabetes due to comorbidities that are related to biology, diet, socioeconomic situations and access to healthcare. 

Dr. Singletary says, “The first social determinant of health is a lack of access to quality medical care. The second is the persistent wealth gap that exists between communities of color and other communities. [Because of a] lack of access to quality health care, many individuals living in Black and Brown communities use emergency rooms like many of us use our primary physician. For many of these individuals, it's their only means of healthcare.” 

Singletary cites a recent study published by the University of Maryland School of Medicine, which discovered that African American patients use emergency departments at higher rates than any other racial group. According to the study, African Americans use emergency departments 54% of the time for routine medical care. And in urban areas, African Americans use emergency rooms 59% of the time.  

“At what point are these individuals expected to receive treatment for underlying health conditions?” Singletary said. “At what point will they receive primary or preventive care? What about health screening, tests for diabetes, high blood pressure and annual exams? There's no such thing as preventive or continuity of care [for these communities]. It's all rinse and repeat of emergency acute care. And this is tied directly to the wealth gap that is prevalent in the Black community.” 

Tied to comorbidities are health habits and issues such as tobacco use, diet and stress, which further make these populations more vulnerable to COVID-19. 

Additionally, many people in minority communities have low-wage jobs that are considered “essential,” meaning that they must go out and potentially be exposed daily to the virus. 

Dr. Singletary recalls that during the height of the COVID-19 crisis this spring he went to a grocery store where three older Black gentlemen were working on the frontline. “You could tell from the looks on their faces that they had so much pride in their jobs. [But] they didn’t have masks on,” he said. 

When he returned to the store three weeks later, only two of the men he had previously met were there. They all had been absent for a couple of weeks. “I asked them where their other guy was," says Singletary. “Finally, one of them said ‘Oh, you mean Jimmy, he died last week of the COVID-19.’” 

One way to address racism and racial disparities in healthcare is to expand the healthcare workforce, and have healthcare providers that better understand, and are sensitive to, the health needs of different communities, Singletary says. Representation matters. Having healthcare providers who can build trust with underserved communities will impact, overall, the decision that constituents of those communities make about preventative and primary care. Another key point that needs to be addressed is access to quality healthcare for these communities, which is a heavy lift and will take many years to remedy. 

Chamberlain University is dedicated to social justice commitments, which expand access of nursing and healthcare education to under-represented minority students. Chamberlain is the leading grantor of Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees to minority students in the United States, effectively creating a healthcare workforce who have the unique opportunity to make a real impact on healthcare inequity.  

Chamberlain students can also get involved with opportunities to impact diversity and inclusion in their own healthcare communities: 

  • Join the Student Government Association (SGA) 

  • Build a diversity and inclusion student group on your campus 

Help us create a generation of nurses, social workers and other healthcare professionals who make an impact on eliminating healthcare inequity. 

Related Stories 

Diversity & Inclusion: How Do They Relate to Healthcare? 

Why Black Women are More at Risk for Human Trafficking – and What Nurses Can Do to Help 

By Kate Rice

More from Health Professions

View all >
Nurse fist bumping with child
5 Great Reasons to Earn Your MSN Degree from Chamberlain…
Read more
MPH Student Heather Page
Public Health Student Launches Prenatal Well-being…
Read more
MPH Faculty Member Anne-Marie Coleman
Saving Lives, Strengthening Communities: On a mission to…
Read more
chamberlain university celebrates social work month 2021
Celebrating the Role of Social Workers in Helping People…
Read more
Show more >

Request More Information

To receive the Chamberlain University Program Guide, including associated career paths, please select a program of study.

Chamberlain University, College of Nursing and Health Professionals

Secondary Footer Navigation

  • Apply
  • Request More Info
  • Request More Info
  • Call
  • Apply
  • Request Info
  • Request Info

Student Portal Login

Main Campus
Addison Campus
1221 North Swift Road
Addison, IL 60101 

National Management Offices
500 W. Monroe St, Suite 1300
Chicago, IL 60661

All Campus Locations
Contact

Footer Menu Column 1

  • Online Programs
  • Master of Physician Assistant Studies
  • Alumni Association
  • Chamberlain Marketplace
  • Military
  • Leadership
  • Catalog & Viewbook

Footer Menu Column 2

  • Student Portal
  • Student Consumer Info
  • Accreditation
  • Parent Organization
  • CA Performance Fact Sheets
  • CA BPPE Annual Report
  • CA BPPE Website

Footer Menu Column 3

  • Careers
  • Privacy Policy
  • Online Cookie Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms of Use
  • Accessibility
  • Student Disability Services
  • Office of Equity and Access

Footer Social Media Navigation

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

2022 Chamberlain Universtiy LLC. All rights reserved.

Footer Menu Line 1

  • Online Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms of Use
  • *140,000 Chamberlain students, alumni and faculty

    † Chamberlain University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and post graduate APRN certificate programs at Chamberlain University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, (https://www.aacnnursing.org/CCNE). The Chamberlain University Doctor of Nursing Practice (delivered via distance education) is accredited by the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA) located at 2600 Virginia Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20037 (202-909-2526). Chamberlain University’s Master of Public Health Program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health, www.ceph.org. For the most updated accreditation information, visit chamberlain.edu/accreditation. Chamberlain University’s Master of Social Work degree program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Accreditation, www.cswe.org. The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. has granted Accreditation-Provisional status to the Chamberlain University Physician Assistant Program. 

    To report unresolved complaints to the Illinois Board of Higher Education visit their webpage at https://complaints.ibhe.org/ or by mail to 1 N. Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 333, Springfield, IL 62701-1377. View Chamberlain's complaint process.

    Chamberlain University confers online degrees from its Main Campus in Addison, IL.

    Chamberlain University is a member of Adtalem Global Education, Inc. www.adtalem.com
    ©2022 Chamberlain University LLC. All rights reserved.