A Look into the Health Inequalities for Latinx and Hispanic Communities in Memphis During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Health disparities have been an ongoing issue many citizens in the United States are forced to deal with due to limited access to healthcare facilities, the high cost of medical care, and the societal racism embedded into our society. The Covid-19 Pandemicexposed many of the existing issues marginalized groups of individuals continue to go through due to the way they are valued in a capitalist society. In Memphis, a predominantly black city, the Latinx and Hispanic communities tend to be overlooked, generating an even greater divide between those provided with the necessary tools to endure the pandemic and those forced to survive on their own1. This research aims to provide background information on the unequal distribution of healthcare services and expound upon how America dealt with the pandemic and how we could have responded differently. By using interviews and personal narratives from the Latinx and Hispanic community in Memphis, this study centers around the individualized experiences many faced during the pandemic. Incorporating both aggregate and personalized qualitative data aims to promote social awareness and change for more equitable health care access and information for all groups of people