Issue 1 Academic Highlights

By Delan

Transmitting Trauma: A Systematic review of vicarious racism and child health. NJ Heard-Garris, M Cale, L Camaj, MC Hamati, TP Dominguez. Social Science and Medicine. You don’t have to experience racism yourself for it to affect your health. This is especially important for children, who may experience the consequences of racism vicariously through their family and friends. Heard-Garris et al summarise these health effects in their systematic review of 30 studies. They document outcomes ranging from an increase in preterm birth, nutritional changes, and mental illness symptoms and behavioural issues. ENOUGH: COVID-19, Structural Racism, Police Brutality, Plutocracy, Climate Change—and Time for Health Justice, Democratic Governance, and an Equitable, Sustainable Future N Krieger. Am J Pub Health COVID-19 shines a light on our world and in this editorial Nancy Krieger describes how the social injustices that are common today interact. The murder of George Floyd and before him many others and the excess COVID-19 deaths amongst Black people are caused by the same thing. People and organisations are discussing racism like never before but will this lead to change? Krieger ends with the quote by Mother Jones “pray for the dead, and fight like hell for the living!” Disparities, Desperation, and Divisiveness: Coping with COVID-19 in India S Mukherjee Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy At the time of writing India has the second highest number of recorded COVID-19 cases. In this article Soumyadeep Mukerjee describes the responses to COVID-19 in India. A national lockdown was imposed in the second most populous country in the world, with varying degree of success. Along with the lockdown came a number of other consequences: “devastating economic impacts”; increased mental ill-health problems; anxiety and loneliness, especially in older adults; increases in domestic violence. In addition to these have been outbreaks of discrimination against lower castes and religious minorities, especially Muslims.