Associate Professor, Health Behavior & Health Education
History of Racial Inequity in Healthcare
What You'll Learn
- How history & the factors of lack of access & representation in healthcare parallels other sectors in the U.S. and international contexts
- The evolution of the health insurance system in the United States and in international contexts, and its impact on racial and ethnic populations
- Historical events, policies, economic and legal mechanisms created disproportionate disease burden within racial and ethnic groups
5 Modules
15 Hours
3 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About History of Racial Inequity in Healthcare
The first course of the Addressing Racial Health Inequity in Healthcare specialization will first situate the role of public health in healthcare, and walk through important concepts and definitions that you will see throughout the course and subsequent courses. You will walk through the social and biological perspectives on the concepts of race and racism, and unpack the history of unequal treatment in the U.S. You will learn about the health insurance system in the U.S., differential access to care, and professional challenges to diversity in healthcare. And finally, you will explore examples of resilience in healthcare that were critical to preserving the health of marginalized populations.
Skills You'll Gain
- Health Equity
- Public Health
- Social Justice
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to History of Racial Inequity in Healthcare, the first course of Addressing Racial Health Inequity in Healthcare series. This course explores the historical and structural roots of racial inequities in the U.S. healthcare system. You will examine public health perspectives, the social and biological dimensions of race, the evolution of health insurance, differential access to care, and professional representation. The course also highlights examples of resilience in healthcare that preserved the well-being of marginalized populations.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Unpacking Concepts and Definitions
- Video: Course and Series Welcome
- Reading: Course Syllabus
- Video: Meet Your Professor
- Video: Ethnic/Racial Disparities in Healthcare: Myths Busted
- Reading: Course Glossary of Terms
- Reading: Pre-Course Survey
- Reading: An Introduction
- Video: What is Public Health?
- Video: The Role of Public Health in Healthcare
- Reading: Introduction: Disparities, Inequality, and Equity
- Practice Quiz: [Ungraded] Disparities, Inequality, and Equity: What do these concepts mean to you?
- Video: The Distinctions Between Disparities, Inequality, and Equity
- Reading: Case Study: Illustration of Disparities, Inequality, and Equity
- Reading: Introduction to Race and Racism
- Reading: Race and Genes
- Reading: Up Next... an Interview with Dr. Dana Dolinoy
- Video: How Race Gets Under the Skin: Epigenetics with Dr. Dana Dolinoy
- Reading: The Social Construction of Race
- Reading: Up Next... an Interview with Dr. Matthew Jaber Stiffler and Ms. Madiha Tariq
- Video: Case Example: Middle Eastern and North African Identity with Madiha Tariq and Matthew Jaber Stiffler
- Reading: Levels of Racism
- Reading: America's Enduring Caste System, Oprah's Podcast
- Discussion Prompt: Are these Concepts Universal?
- Reading: Supplemental Resources
Module 2: Historical Roots of Racial & Ethnic Disparities in Healthcare
- Reading: Colonization of Native People
- Reading: Native People and Smallpox Blankets: Fact or Fiction?
- Reading: Case Example: Pima Indians and Water Rights
- Reading: Segregation and Jim Crow
- Reading: How Discrimination has Changed Over Time
- Discussion Prompt: How has discrimination changed over time in your country or context?
- Reading: The New Jim Crow: Old Goals in Modern Laws
- Reading: Immigration Policy
- Reading: Refugee Policy
- Reading: Post 9/11
- Reading: Intersectionality Wars: Critical Race Theory and its Legal Origins
- Discussion Prompt: Policies & Social Roots of Racial & Ethnic Disparities Across the World
- Reading: Supplemental Resources
Module 3: Evolution & Impact of the Health Insurance System
- Reading: Historical Timeline of Health Insurance Policy in the U.S.
- Reading: Origins of Health Insurance in the U.S.
- Reading: Values Underpinning Health Insurance and the Health Care System in the U.S.
- Reading: Medicare
- Reading: Medicare: One of the Greatest Achievements of the Civil Rights Movement
- Reading: The Passage of Medicaid
- Reading: Up Next... an Interview with Mr. Kevin Seitz
- Video: Medicaid: The First 30 Years with Kevin Seitz
- Reading: Health Insurance for Special Populations
- Video: Health Insurance for Special Populations
- Reading: Healthcare for the Incarcerated
- Reading: Up Next... an Interview with Marianne Udow-Phillips
- Video: The Affordable Care Act: aka Obamacare with Marianne Udow-Phillips
- Discussion Prompt: What does Health Insurance Afford You?
- Reading: Supplemental Resources
Module 4: Access & Professional Representation in Healthcare
- Reading: History of Access to Healthcare Parallels Other Critical Sectors
- Reading: Redlining
- Reading: Redlining and the Impact on Health
- Reading: The GI Bill
- Reading: Case Example: Access to Financial Institutions
- Reading: Black Physicians and Organized Medicine
- Reading: Historical Trends in Medical School Diversity by Race and Sex
- Reading: National Medical Association
- Discussion Prompt: Diversity of Healthcare Professionals
- Reading: Supplemental Resources
Module 5: History of Resilience in Healthcare
- Reading: The Origins of Community Health Centers
- Reading: Community Health Centers: The People
- Reading: Community Health Centers: A Movement
- Reading: Case Example: The First Community Health Center in Mississippi
- Reading: Community Health Centers: Global Examples
- Reading: Black Panthers and their Role in Healthcare
- Reading: Black Panthers: A Misunderstood Legacy
- Reading: Reflections from an Activist
- Reading: Lessons from Black Physicians and the Struggle for Civil Rights
- Discussion Prompt: Community Health Resiliency
- Reading: Supplemental Resources
- Video: Course Wrap and Recap / What's Next in the Series
- Reading: Post-Course Survey
Grading Policy
To pass the course and earn a certificate, learners must achieve an overall grade of 80%. The course grade is based on 10 quizzes worth 6% each, and a “Healthcare Profile Assignment Check” worth 40% of the final grade.
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required
