The Network for Public Health Law (NPHL) has issued three new public health resources that can be read and accessed below.

Curtailing Implicit Racial Biases in Electronic Health Records

It’s well established that individual and structural racism has led to disparities in the quality of and access to health care in the U.S.  Recent studies show how medical records are another avenue through which bias and discrimination negatively impact care and further perpetuate racial inequities in delivery.  Some states and organizations have taken steps to prevent racial inequities from percolating within medical records by issuing recommendations, publishing guidelines, or by mandating implicit bias training for those in the health care field.

Legislative Trends in Health and Racial Equity, 2021-2022

Creating a government that is truly for everyone requires laws and policies that eliminate racial and ethnic disparities and improve outcomes for all.  As 2023 state legislative sessions approach, it’s important to look back at trends over the last few years in legislation impacting health and racial equity to understand how states are trying to address the health impacts of racism.  Because state legislation is a key mechanism for creating the infrastructure for healthy communities, we assessed legislation for the past two years, looking at 447 bills.

Disaggregation of Public Health Data by Race & Ethnicity: A Legal Handbook

Detailed race and ethnicity data in public health is needed to adequately identify, assess, and address health inequities and structural racism, yet this type of data is often not utilized because of misunderstandings around the legality of collecting and sharing it.  To assist public health practitioners and attorneys across state and local governments in the use of data to advance health equity, NPHL has produced a legal handbook that addresses the role of law in collecting and disseminating public health data disaggregated by race and ethnicity.