Politics, power, and equity

We know that pandemics, natural disasters, wars, and other crises magnify the burden of disease among people who experience poverty and other marginalized groups. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the flaws in our health care system and social safety net have been unmasked, highlighting how inequities in education, income, and housing can cripple a nation’s response to a crisis. Also laid bare is the reality that this pandemic is likely to deepen the consequences of inequality, especially in communities of color. At the same time, it offers a timely exercise in understanding how policies and politics influence health and survival for our country’s most vulnerable populations. (author introduction)