5 Ways Trump’s Presidency Can Affect Black Health

On November 6, 2024, Donald Trump was declared the winner of the 2024 United States presidential election. While no one knows how his next administration will unfold we anticipate changes that will impact our health in profound ways, judging from the events of his previous administration and the appointments he has made so far.

Republicans are expected to face slim resistance in pushing through health reforms after the party retained the majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Another sign of uncertainty for healthcare under Trump’s administration is the decision to put Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in charge of some aspects of health, a popular anti-vaccine advocate. Here are five ways Donald Trump’s presidency can affect your health.

1. Access to abortion

Around 48.4% of abortions performed in Ohio in 2022 were on Black women. During Trump’s first administration, he oversaw the reversal of Roe [v. Wade] which provided protection for women seeking abortion. Unfortunately, in some cases, abortion is often the only option to save the mother’s life, like in ectopic pregnancy where the outcome can be fatal if allowed to progress. However, with the protection of Roe removed, it’s up to states to decide whether abortion will stay legal within their territory.

With Trump’s return to power, there will likely be a tightening of the abortion law including further clampdown on women who travel interstate to where abortion is legal to get the procedure. Perhaps, this is the time to start exploring safe sex practices to lower the chances of being in a situation where you’ll need an abortion.

2. Support for vaccines

Vaccine hesitancy is already a major cause of concern in the Black community because of distrust for the healthcare system. Trump’s presidency is likely going to make it worse with rhetoric that further spread distrust for vaccines—as we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With Kennedy Jr. playing a major role in the healthcare system, many experts fear it would be harder to get new vaccines approved including heightened scrutiny for the currently available vaccines. A decline in vaccine uptake will put our communities at risk of contracting infectious diseases.

3. Change to health insurance coverage

According to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) came into law, the rate of uninsured nonelderly Black Americans dropped from 20.9% in 2010 to 10.8% in 2022. The gains made in this regard could be reversed if Trump cut funding to Medicare or Medicaid programs.

Cynthia Cox, the vice president and director of the ACA program at Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) believes the Trump administration will not renew the enhanced subsidies on the ACA. If this happens, the price of premium insurance coverage will go up and anyone without access to a workplace plan will be affected including unemployed people, self-employed consumers, and students (unfortunately the categories to which many people in our communities belong). This will lead to lower enrollment due to the inability to afford it or inability to copay despite having fulltime careers.

4. Rise in negative climate activities

The United States is one of the top five countries with the highest greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists have warned that the rise in greenhouse gas emissions are responsible for the increase in negative climate events experienced around the globe including droughts and flooding. Increasing hurricanes in the United States often leave widescale destruction, pollute portable water sources, and destroy powerlines, raising public health concerns including potential disease outbreaks and death from freezing.

Trump is a known climate change skeptic and has repeatedly called it a “hoax”. In his second term, Trump plans to increase fossil fuel production. His Project 2025 is a threat to the Environmental Protection Agency. If that happens, it could worsen the impact of climate change.

5. Rise in anxiety and other mental health illnesses

Historic systemic racism like slavery and police brutality has led to the successive transfer of mental illness from one generation of Black families to another. Some of Trump administration’s policies may trigger your anxiety if they don’t resonate with you. For example, if you are pro-abortion, Trump administration’s clampdown on abortion may lead to significant trauma.

Cutting down your exposure to news and social media and particularly avoiding groups or forums where issues are politicized can help you maintain your sanity. Inasmuch as you may feel the urge to totally cut off from media, experts warn against it because if you are not informed about Trump administration’s policies, you will not have an idea of how to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community.

Elevate Black Health understands the effects of the upcoming administration on public health. Therefore, here are a few key strategies to prepare for the impending public health challenges:

Stay informed from Trusted Sources about Public Health Laws that affect you and your family. Good examples include the CDC, Cleveland Clinic, and National Institute of Health.
Strengthen Personal Preparedness: Prepare emergency kits, medical supplies, and essential medications. Ask your insurance company to keep you informed on potential rate increase.
Advocate for Community Health.
Actively engage in civic advocacy, including promoting science-based measures
Build resilience against false news: sharpen your critical thinking and educate your family on how to identify fake news.

Although we have little control over Trump administration and the policies of his Republican party, we can leverage available tools like litigation, legislation, community care, mutual aid, and protests to register our displeasure for government policies.

For more reading

https://ohiosenate.gov/news/on-the-record/abortion-is-killing-the-black-community