Racial Residential Segregation and Health Justice: Public Health Impacts of Housing Policies in the United States
Overview
Racially restrictive housing policies have significantly contributed to health disparities in the 21st century. Housing is a fundamental driver of population health, and unjust housing policies have perpetuated disproportionate health outcomes – including access to health care, healthy food, and proper sanitation.
Public health, legal and housing experts — including Dr. Sandro Galea, professor and dean at the Boston University School of Public Health – share their insights on housing inequities and the racist laws and policies that enabled segregation and steered resources away from poor neighborhoods – and how these factors contribute today to poor health outcomes for people of color. To effectively tackle health justice issues, it’s necessary to trace disparities back to their root causes, where racism serves as the epicenter.
