There are many reasons why Black Americans have a shorter life expectancy than White Americans. Most of this stems from systematic inequalities in the healthcare system. This study provides a brief record of the history of healthcare in the United States and how policy decisions and cultural context have created disparities between the life expectancies of White and Black Americans. The most alarming culprit for these disparities is redlining. The research concludes that Black Americans are being disproportionately affected by medical bias and redlining in healthcare.
Christa Gibbs is a Senior majoring in Criminal Studies and minoring in Psychology. She is currently working with a nonprofit organization to help end homelessness in Greensboro through emergency assistance and food insecurity programs.