Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes: Using a Social Determinants of Health Framework to Identify Inequities in Healthcare Access and Treatment

Abstract An overwhelming amount of empirical literature exists that proves structural bias and racism in health care access and treatment in minorities, specifically Black people and people of color who suffer from cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among black people in the United States (U.S.). The disparities in health care access and treatment are well documented; however, the application of a framework to get upstream of the social determinants that impact this group has not been fully examined. In this communication, the Social Determinants of Health framework (SDOH) will be applied to understand better how structural bias based on race and ethnicity exists and exasperates cardiovascular disease outcomes. Using the SDOH, five determinants will be analyzed and explored: food insecurity, the built environment, social support, health care policy, and the health care system. To improve health equity, recommendations will be made based on the framework to drive health care policy decisions and health care system reform.