Speaker: Maureen R. Benjamins, PhD, Senior Research Fellow, Sinai Urban Health Institute

Topic: Unequal Cities: Structural Racism and the Death Gap in America's 30 Largest Cities

Description: Dramatic differences in health outcomes between Black and white individuals persist, rooted in structural racism and the resulting social inequities. However, our data reveal that racial gaps in life expectancy and other measures of mortality differ widely among the 30 most populous U.S. cities. To explore potential reasons for these differences, and to guide local actions toward equity, we then assessed the extent to which health departments within these big cities address racial equity in their formal plans, policies, and activities.