Sarah Davis, JD, MPA; Eunice Y. Park, MS; Maria Morgen, BS; Baila Khan, BS; Kylie Donovan, BS; Manpreet Kaur, BS; Margaret B. Hackett, BA
WMJ. 2022;121(1):9-12,68
Introduction
For some, COVID-19 served as yet another crisis to illuminate the deep structural inequities in our society. Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) individuals, those in rural communities, and people experiencing homelessness experienced disproportionate harm—including death—from COVID-19. Deep analyses exist to guide experts who focus on specific communities. Here we champion tools that can be applied in times of calm and crisis to name longstanding structural deficiencies and intervene on root causes. The issue of equity in COVID-19 response and recovery involves multiple, interconnected systems, each with their own rules, histories, and invested stakeholders. The public health system does not stand isolated from health, economic, and civil systems, as emphasized by colleagues naming the triple threat of health, civic engagement, and economic opportunities faced by BIPOC individuals.1 Many communities and individuals experience intersectional disparities and find themselves at a disadvantage for COVID-19 response and recovery due to multiple factors. This complexity often can get lost in attempts to make sense of problems and select effective solutions. We undertook a systems analysis to learn from the response and recovery in Wisconsin and share takeaways in this commentary.