Centuries of racism in the US has impacted housing, education, wealth, and employment opportunities. These social determinants of health are key drivers of health inequities within communities of color, placing millions of people at greater risk for poor health outcomes. Health disparities are numerous: the data show that people of color throughout the United States experience higher rates of illness and death across a wide range of health conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, obesity, asthma, and heart disease, when compared to their white counterparts. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 60% of premature deaths are associated with social, environmental, and behavioural circumstances. Only 10% are the result of inadequate clinical care, and 20 to 30% stem from genetics.
To achieve health equity in the US, investors and service providers must critically examine their histories and practices. This fireside chat will bring together impact investors, service providers, and innovators to discuss how impact investing can be used to address racial health disparities in the US. They’ll share their experiences providing healthcare services in communities of color, the challenges they’ve faced and how they’ve overcome them, who gets funding for research and health startups, and why representation matters when working to provide equitable healthcare access for everyone.
