Increased racism has been widely reported in the media during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the latest data support those reports. Children may experience racism directly or witness it against their caregivers. Direct and indirect racism impact health, blunt well-being, and undercut health equity—addressing them is fundamental to improving children’s health and well-being.
Caregivers who responded to the questionnaire, Family Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic, compared their experiences of racism before and during the pandemic. In March 2021, nearly one in three caregivers in California who had ever experienced race/ethnicity discrimination reported experiencing increased racism since the pandemic began, while just over half reported no change, and about one in six reported a decrease. Asian caregivers more often reported experiencing an increase in racism during the pandemic compared with all other race/ethnicities (44% compared with 31%).
On the questionnaire from November 2020, a caregiver shared, “Social challenges are the greatest challenge I have faced since [the pandemic began] and I don’t want my child to face racism or discrimination.”
Comments (0)