Towards anti-racist policies and strategies to reduce poor health outcomes in racialised communities: introducing the O'Neill–Lancet Commission on Racism, Structural Discrimination, and Global Health

Abstract

Audre Lorde said, “There is no thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.” 1 Lorde A Sister outsider: essays and speeches. Crossing Press, Trumansburg, NY1984 Google Scholar The O'Neill–Lancet Commission on Racism, Structural Discrimination, and Global Health posits racism as one of the most consequential transnational phenomena to impact the health and lives of afflicted communities globally. This Commission aims to explore the axis of discrimination across structural determinants of health at intranational, international, and supranational levels and our objectives are shown in the panel. There is ample evidence of racism among health-care-provider behaviour in many contexts and as the cause of physical injury due to racial violence. 2 Batur P Heart of violence: global racism, war, and genocide. in: Vera H Feagin JR Handbook of the sociology of racial and ethnic relations. Springer, Boston, MA2007: 441-454 Crossref Scopus (3) Google Scholar , 3 Ben J Cormack D Harris R Paradies Y Racism and health service utilisation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2017; 12: e0189900 Crossref PubMed Scopus (160) Google Scholar , 4 Paradies Y Ben J Denson N et al. Racism as a determinant of health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2015; 10: e0138511 Crossref PubMed Scopus (1145) Google Scholar Further, the Lancet Series on racism, xenophobia, discrimination, and health 5 Devakumar D Selvarajah S Abubakar I et al. Racism, xenophobia, discrimination, and the determination of health. Lancet. 2022; 400: 2097-2108 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (6) Google Scholar joined earlier scholarship to characterise pathways of discrimination in health systems and other structures. The Commission will deepen the existing scholarship and explore racism and discrimination within global public health practice, policies, governance, and legal systems that are determinants of racial and ethnic health disparities. PanelObjectives of the O'Neill–Lancet Commission on Racism, Structural Discrimination, and Global HealthAccurately diagnose the problem of racism in health This will be achieved by reviewing existing national and cross-national evidence on racism in health in a global context, and using a set of empirical analytical work, to further describe the effects of racial and ethnic discrimination and its intersections on health at a national and international level. Identify best practices and actionable anti-racist strategies The Commission will achieve this goal by, among other activities, holding consultations with populations with lived experiences of structural discrimination in health, to discover how racist structures in select countries were addressed to close health equity gaps. Compile a report of the Commission's findings, highlighting the strategies, tactics, and actionable lessons We expect the Commission's recommendations to be used to develop anti-racist approaches in the sphere of health policy and service delivery to ensure equitable and just health outcomes. Widely disseminate the Commission's findings Broad dissemination will ensure that the anti-racist strategies and actionable lessons can be used by governments and health advocates to lobby for improved health outcomes for marginalised sections of the population in their respective countries and contribute a body of global knowledge to augment efforts to decolonise global health. Accurately diagnose the problem of racism in health This will be achieved by reviewing existing national and cross-national evidence on racism in health in a global context, and using a set of empirical analytical work, to further describe the effects of racial and ethnic discrimination and its intersections on health at a national and international level. Identify best practices and actionable anti-racist strategies The Commission will achieve this goal by, among other activities, holding consultations with populations with lived experiences of structural discrimination in health, to discover how racist structures in select countries were addressed to close health equity gaps. Compile a report of the Commission's findings, highlighting the strategies, tactics, and actionable lessons We expect the Commission's recommendations to be used to develop anti-racist approaches in the sphere of health policy and service delivery to ensure equitable and just health outcomes. Widely disseminate the Commission's findings Broad dissemination will ensure that the anti-racist strategies and actionable lessons can be used by governments and health advocates to lobby for improved health outcomes for marginalised sections of the population in their respective countries and contribute a body of global knowledge to augment efforts to decolonise global health.