WASHINGTON (March 31, 2021)  — In 2019, Blacks, Latinos and Native Americans were severely underrepresented in the health care workforce, a trend that shows limited signs of improvement, according to a study published today by George Washington University researchers.

The racial equity movement and COVID-19 are bringing needed public attention to the structural racism and inequities that underlie social and health disparities in the United States. The police killings of George Floyd and so many other Black lives have brought about increasing calls for police reform. In Minneapolis, where George Floyd’s killing occurred, the City Council recently approved a proposal to disband their police department and replace it with a new Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention. This increasing attention and action on structural racism is occurring across systems—in criminal justice, housing, education, and healthcare. 

Drs. Xinxin Han, Candice Chen, and Patricia Pittman of the Mullan Institute co-authored this Journal of Rural Health article that examines the use of temporary providers in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) in recent years and identifies associated factors. They describe trends in the number and percentage of FQHCs that used temporary primary care physicians and advanced practice providers (nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certified nurse midwives). Read the full article.