Guest post by Brittany Robinson, wellness education program coordinator with the Wellness Resource Center
Self-care practices such as getting quality rest, consuming nourishing foods, and regularly moving our bodies are known to positively impact our well-being. We can make choices that help us feel well. At the same time, our well-being is also influenced by systems that we can’t control. Access to resources, support, and opportunities are distributed disproportionately and can have profound effects on our health and well-being. Today’s post is a collaboration between the Wellness Resource Center and Temple University Libraries.
photo by Joseph V. Labolito, Temple University
Oppression is discrimination that is supported by systems and structures within a society. It shows up in education, policies, healthcare, and more. Health disparities are just one area in which the consequences of oppression are clear. Folks with marginalized identities often experience health inequities at alarming rates. Bringing these systemic issues to light is necessary in the journey to create positive change. Before engaging in discourse, it is helpful to educate ourselves around oppression and its harmful effects. Books are a wonderful resource that allow us to view reality from diverse perspectives.
How Does Reading Help?
Before engaging in discourse, it is helpful to educate ourselves around oppression and its harmful effects. Books are a wonderful resource that allow us to view reality from diverse perspectives. Research shows that reading can improve empathy and perspective-taking.
Here are some suggested titles, available through Temple Libraries:
Medical Apartheid by Harriet A. Washington
Washington’s text takes readers on a journey of the mistreatment African Americans have endured as unsuspecting experimental subjects within the U.S. medical system from the era of slavery through present day.
The Health Gap by Michael Marmot
Through examples and telling statistics, President of the World Medical Association Michael Marmot writes about social injustice being a threat to global health. He also highlights existing tools to reduce health inequities that we may not be utilizing as we should.
Just Medicine: A Cure for Racial Inequality in American Health Care by Dayna Bowen Matthew
In this text, Matthew discusses how unfair and unjust healthcare treatment of folks with marginalized identities leads to avoidable health disparities. She offers solutions that address implicit bias.
Resources Available
Temple’s Tuttleman Counseling Services has specially-trained therapists and support groups for Temple University students.
Temple’s Institutional Diversity, Equity, Advocacy and Leadership (IDEAL) provides a space for the campus community to learn about diverse perspectives, receive training, and explore strategies for making our campus and the world a more equitable place.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has health disparities resources to help folks further their understanding of the causes and consequences of oppression in healthcare.