A Silent Injustice: Air Pollution as a Contributing Factor of COVID-19 Health Disparities

Authors

Spencer Johnson, Yale University

Abstract

COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 has had a disproportionate impact on Black communities throughout the United States. This paper suggests that air pollution may be a factor for why Black individuals experience markedly poorer health outcomes after contracting COVID-19. It establishes that not only are Black Americans exposed to disproportionate amounts of air pollution, but also that many air pollution-related ailments are the exact ones that have been clinically proven to make COVID-19 more fatal. AV Whe UniWed SWaWeV diVcXVVeV ZhaW a ³neZ noUmal´ entails for healthcare practice and public health policy, this paper makes the case for why air pollution and the danger it presents to Black Americans should play a greater role in those discussions.

Recommended Citation

Johnson, Spencer (2020) "A Silent Injustice: Air Pollution as a Contributing Factor of COVID-19 Health Disparities," The Yale Undergraduate Research Journal: Vol. 1: Iss. 1, Article 37.
Available at: https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/yurj/vol1/iss1/37