{"id":48756,"date":"2020-10-08T17:22:30","date_gmt":"2020-10-08T16:22:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/?p=48756"},"modified":"2020-10-15T11:09:41","modified_gmt":"2020-10-15T10:09:41","slug":"covid-19-and-ethnicity-how-the-information-gap-exacerbates-inequality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/2020\/10\/08\/covid-19-and-ethnicity-how-the-information-gap-exacerbates-inequality\/","title":{"rendered":"Covid-19 and ethnicity: how the information gap exacerbates inequality"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"standfirst\">Trust must be rebuilt within BAME communities if information gaps are to be bridged, say Rooah Omer, Shruti Patel, and Danielle Solomon<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The covid-19 pandemic has shone a light on the health and social inequalities that have historically plagued black and minority ethnic (BAME) groups in the UK. The reasons for this are many, however there are numerous examples of ongoing patterns of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">miscommunication, misinformation, and disinformation that have created an <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">information gap among these groups. This acts as a key factor in differential <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bmj.com\/content\/316\/7143\/1476\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">health seeking behaviour<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.deepdyve.com\/lp\/royal-college-of-nursing-rcn\/cross-cultural-communication-barriers-in-health-care-yvrpHy3wMo\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">experiences of healthcare<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, and <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/raceequalityfoundation.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/REF-Better-Health-451-1.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">ultimately health outcomes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. These are all exacerbated by a historical context in which people from BAME groups have experienced greater levels of socioeconomic disadvantage, been ignored or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bmj.com\/content\/368\/bmj.m714\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">abused by medical science<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, and received <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31943347\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">poorer quality of care<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> from the healthcare system<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As we move on to the next phase of the pandemic, incorporating the lessons we have learnt so far will be essential in preventing and managing the effects of a second wave of covid-19 on BAME groups. Using a<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> more localised approach to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">outbreak management, which works in partnership with local BAME networks, would allow us to deliver an effective, culturally competent campaign that bridges information gaps. The success of these approaches is entirely dependent on the trust of local populations\u2014particularly when it comes to systems that rely on the individual to self-refer, such as the test and trace system. Disparities in information provision are complex, however, and it is vital to approach any solution with an understanding of the social, political, and structural drivers of this phenomenon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">UK policy makers have relied on behavioural science to determine communication strategies around the covid-19 response. However, behavioural science has tended to overlook the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/papers.ssrn.com\/sol3\/papers.cfm?abstract_id=899688\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">role of cultural differences<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in how people make decisions and navigate choice architecture.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> BAME groups are not a homogenous monolith, and if we want to continue to apply behavioural science to inform the covid-19 response, then we need to ensure that behavioural insights generated from within BAME communities are included.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">While digital communications have helped efficiently disseminate health information and guidance during the pandemic, people from BAME groups are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gypsy-traveller.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Digital-Inclusion-in-Gypsy-and-Traveller-communities-FINAL-1.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">more likely to be digitally excluded<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.publishing.service.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/attachment_data\/file\/892376\/COVID_stakeholder_engagement_synthesis_beyond_the_data.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Reasons for this include<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> financial barriers to WiFi, a lack of access to data or the devices needed to go online, and cultural and religious practices<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Difficulties with literacy, language, or digital skills <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/covid-full-rna-report.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">also act as barriers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to navigating online information<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The community and voluntary sector have stepped in to produce translated audio, video, and printed materials and have supported people in applying guidance to their own contexts. It is essential that any future communication strategies aimed at BAME groups build on the knowledge of these grassroots organisations. This should include adopting more culturally specific, non-digital, and translated methods that reach people through their trusted channels.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Misinformation and conspiracy theories about covid-19 have been widespread, and disenfranchised communities are more susceptible to these. These false messages often feed into existing mistrust of authoritative bodies, which have been planted by lived experience of both overt and subtle racism.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Furthermore, we need to acknowledge the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/made-by-history\/wp\/2018\/06\/04\/american-medicine-was-built-on-the-backs-of-slaves-and-it-still-affects-how-doctors-treat-patients-today\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">historic backdrop of medical experimentation on BAME groups<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, which provides fertile breeding ground for misinformation to spread within BAME communities.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> Unauthorised drug trials, surgery performed without consent, and other forms of medical abuse have taken place throughout Western history. It is easy to see how conspiracy theories are more likely to gain traction when viewed through the lens of history, such as a false video that went viral about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/uk-factcheck-bame-vaccine\/fact-check-the-british-government-is-not-targeting-bame-communities-for-coronavirus-vaccine-trials-idUSKBN23V223\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the government \u201ccoming for\u201d black participants<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in covid vaccine trials, which had already led to fatalities.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> This context, and people&#8217;s fears of being &#8220;singled out&#8221; for medical experiments, must be acknowledged and addressed when communicating why those at increased risk of mortality are being considered for priority access to novel covid-19 treatments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Racism and discrimination against BAME groups in healthcare is not, however, confined to the annals of history. Higher <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npeu.ox.ac.uk\/mbrrace-uk\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">maternal mortality rates<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, poorer <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/raceequalityfoundation.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/REF-Better-Health-471-1.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">experiences of cancer care<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.publishing.service.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/attachment_data\/file\/730917\/local_action_on_health_inequalities.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">barriers to accessing healthcare<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> still persist in the modern day NHS<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. BAME communities are underrepresented in published literature, and have been <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/24474683\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">insufficiently targeted in research <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">prior to covid-19\u2014an oversight that is likely to further exacerbate disparities in the pandemic response.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> The most recent wave of recruitment to the NHS covid-19 vaccine research registry has seen <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/news.sky.com\/story\/coronavirus-100-000-britons-volunteer-for-vaccine-trials-but-thousands-more-needed-12050849\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">only 6% of participants<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> belonging to BAME groups.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> If we can rebuild trust within BAME communities, it will <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu\/article\/feeling-disinformed-lowers-compliance-with-covid-19-guidelines-evidence-from-the-us-uk-netherlands-and-germany\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">lead to better outcomes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> in the uptake of testing, inclusion in medical research, and in the long run uptake of any covid-19 vaccine.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Racial health inequality <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/europepmc.org\/article\/med\/26851409\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">has been a facet of healthcare<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> throughout British history<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, and it is not surprising that the covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing disparities. Preventing further harm to people from BAME communities during this crisis will require a detailed understanding of the complex range of factors that contribute to poorer health outcomes. In tackling one of these factors\u2014unequal access to health information\u2014it is important that we acknowledge and understand the structural causes. The urgency of the situation also means that it is imperative we use the community links that already exist with many local organisations to ensure that interventions are both appropriate and effective.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/files\/2020\/10\/Rooah_Omer.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-48760 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/files\/2020\/10\/Rooah_Omer-274x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"116\" height=\"122\" \/><\/a>Rooah Omer<\/strong> is a specialist registrar in public health medicine, currently working in health protection in London. Twitter: <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/rooah_omer\">@rooah_omer<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Competing interests:<\/strong> None declared.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/files\/2020\/10\/Shruti_patel.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-48761\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/files\/2020\/10\/Shruti_patel-274x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"116\" height=\"127\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/files\/2020\/10\/Shruti_patel-274x300.jpg 274w, https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/files\/2020\/10\/Shruti_patel.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 116px) 100vw, 116px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Shruti Patel<\/strong> is a specialist registrar in public health medicine, currently working in the Kent health protection team. She also works as a paediatric doctor. Twitter <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/shruti2711\">@shruti2711<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Competing interests:<\/strong> None declared.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/files\/2020\/10\/danielle_solomon.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-48762 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/files\/2020\/10\/danielle_solomon-274x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"116\" height=\"116\" \/><\/a>Danielle Solomon<\/strong> is a specialist registrar in public health medicine and a Wellcome Trust clinical PhD fellow at the Institute for Global Health, University College London (UCL). <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/df_solomon\">@df_solomon<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Competing interests:<\/strong> None declared.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trust must be rebuilt within BAME communities if information gaps are to be bridged, say Rooah Omer, Shruti Patel, and Danielle Solomon [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/2020\/10\/08\/covid-19-and-ethnicity-how-the-information-gap-exacerbates-inequality\/\">More&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":48759,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[236],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48756","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nhs"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - 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