Race is a concept that divides people into groups based on various sets of physical characteristics. These characteristics are often based on genetic ancestry. The term also refers to ethnicity, which connotes shared cultural traits and a shared group history.
Racial differences have been ascribed significance in areas of intelligence, health and personality. However, there is no evidence to support these claims.
Many of the racial disparities found in today’s society have been based on systems of power, privilege and oppression that are still embedded in our social institutions and reflected in everyday life. These are called “structural” racial biases and operate in real and definitive ways.
These racial discriminations have been linked to a variety of negative effects on health and well-being. These include low self-esteem, poor nutrition, depression and lowered physical activity levels.
The effects of racial discrimination on health may be more widespread than previously thought. Research has shown that race-based discrimination is linked to a wide range of negative outcomes, including poor mental health, substance abuse, and high rates of obesity and cardiovascular disease.
Despite the work of African American activists and civil rights advocates, racial discrimination continues to influence the lives of this population. It is a persistent and vexing source of health disadvantages.
A critical element in addressing racial inequality is to identify and address the structural factors that shape racial discrimination. These include economic, political and societal structures that create barriers to opportunity for people of color.
These structural biases are not always obvious or easy to see. Nonetheless, they play a major role in the distribution of resources and opportunities among racial groups.
While racial biases have their origins in economic, political and social institutions, they are also influenced by the cultural values of the society in which they occur. These cultural values often reflect the dominant racial perceptions and beliefs of a society.
This cultural influence on racial biases is why people of different races feel and think differently about themselves. These different cultural perspectives create different underlying assumptions about racial differences and how people should relate to each other.
Some of the racial and ethnic identities that people choose to identify with are extremely important to their lives. For example, a majority of African Americans and a smaller share of Hispanics say being of their particular race is very or extremely important to how they feel about themselves.
In contrast, a very small share of whites say being white is very or extremely important to how they feel.
The impact of racial prejudice is particularly severe in poor, working-class, and minority communities. This is a result of the long-standing, institutionalized practice of racial segregation and racial discrimination, as well as the racially motivated policies that have been implemented to redress racial imbalances in the United States.
Nevertheless, it is possible to make significant improvements in the quality and reliability of data on race and ethnicity by implementing a series of changes. These suggestions are based on public comments, research findings, and literature reviews. They are discussed here to provide a basis for reaching a final decision on the standards that should guide Federal agencies in collecting and reporting racial and ethnic data.