Science tells us that COVID-19 knows no political boundaries, but it is very clear that some people — as a result of social inequities and how their identities are perceived and treated by society — are more impacted. In Louisiana, 70% of victims are black, though the population is only 32% African American. In Chicago, black Americans account for 66% of the city’s COVID-19 deaths and 49% of the roughly 9,100 confirmed coronavirus cases, despite making up just 30% of the city’s population, according to the Chicago Department of Public Health.
COVID-19 is exposing our nation’s longstanding social and political inequities, in race, class, gender, national origin and other factors. This pandemic calls out the urgency with which we must address the social hierarchies that underly these divisions as we witness how they exacerbate the spread of the virus by deterring community-wide cooperation and access to resources and information. In doing so, they also increase the risk for society as a whole, upping the numbers of people with limited or no access to care and leaving too many undiagnosed, untreated or, in many cases, dead. COVID-19 is demonstrating that our destinies are intertwined and we cannot afford to have inequities in health play out in our society.
Psychology has a lot to say about these problems. Researchers, practitioners and educators can inform efforts to manage the psychological consequences of the pandemic — including fear, anxiety and isolation — as well as strategies to minimize social divisions that can worsen the spread of the virus. Here are four such strategies that can help.
Standardize data collection and reporting
Respecting and protecting the privacy of health records and personally identifiable information, the administration and Congress should rapidly remove barriers to information sharing among federal agencies. We only know that some populations, such as African Americans, are at higher risk for contracting the coronavirus because of reporting from a handful of state and local health agencies that sift data by race, ethnicity and other factors. These reports consistently find African Americans at higher risk for exposure and illness. We need to know the race, ethnicity and other demographic data of those who have been tested, tested positive, been hospitalized, become critically ill, have recovered, or have died from the virus. Such information is critically important for officials to know where to target resources, and for the public to hold officials accountable.
Expand economic and social supports, particularly for high-risk workers
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and. Economic Security (CARES) Act extended cash assistance for low- and middle-income households, through expansion of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit. These programs will mitigate or prevent the psychological impacts of increased financial strain. But the CARES Act did not extend these benefits to all populations, such as some legal immigrants, many of whom face heightened risks yet fear seeking assistance because of its implications for being denied permanent residency status. And states have significant influence in the eligibility and generosity of many family support programs. Extending economic and social supports will help these populations to reduce risks to themselves and their families, and by extension, the broader community. The CARES Act included an important provision to lift caps on charitable giving so that local non-profits can continue to provide care for vulnerable populations.
Marginalize hate
News reports have documented numerous instances of racist and xenophobic intimidation of people of Asian descent, both in public and virtual spaces. Some elected officials and other community leaders have contributed to the anti-Asian climate by making irresponsible statements regarding the coronavirus and China. Let’s strongly denounce stigmatizing speech and other behavior.
Build trust and social cohesion
During any crisis, people need to trust their leaders and each other. To build that trust, leaders often need to do special outreach to communities that have been historically marginalized. Communities that have a high level of trust and engagement around common challenges tend to have better overall health and resiliency during disasters. Working collectively, we can increase each other’s feelings of dignity, belonging and hopefulness until we come out on the other side of this pandemic.
If we succeed in these efforts, we will see the coronavirus contained and the curve flattened. We will also see broad reductions in barriers to health for all, and an improved commitment to invest in a more just, equitable and healthy society.
Shullman is president of the American Psychological Association. Evans is its CEO.