Episode 3: How Systemic Racism and Preexisting Conditions Contributed to COVID-19 Disparities for Black Americans

In Chapter 1 of The Pandemic Divide: How COVID Increased Inequality in America, Dr. Keisha L. Bentley-Edwards and Dr. Paul Robbins dive deep into how systemic racism contributed to health outcome disparities for Black Americans. Today, they unpack that chapter further, touching on experiences from their personal lives, initial assumptions of vaccine hesitancy, why high risk age groups among Black Americans are different than other races, and much more.

Dr. Keisha L. Bentley-Edwards is an assistant professor at Duke University’s School of Medicine, General Internal Medicine Division. She is also the associate director of research and director of the Health Equity Working Group for the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity.

Dr. Paul Robbins is an Assistant Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Purdue University.

Voices in Equity is the official podcast of the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity at Duke University. The Cook Center is named after Samuel DuBois Cook, the first tenured Black professor at Duke University who exemplified the pursuit of social justice and equality. With

research focuses including social mobility, education, health, wealth, and policy, the Cook Center aims to develop a deep understanding of the causes and consequences of inequality, and develop remedies for these disparities and their adverse effects. The aim of this podcast is to expand upon the work of the Cook Center through continuing crucial conversations that further our research and programming.

On our first podcast series, we’re focusing on The Pandemic Divide: How COVID Increased Inequality in America. It’s a collaborative book from faculty - many here at Duke - who are committed to shining a light on inequities and truly making a difference.

Voices in Equity is hosted by Madeleine Braksick and is produced by Earfluence.

We invite you to check out the new Cook Center website at socialequity.duke.edu to learn more about the Cook center’s research, programming, multimedia, and educational activities.