Randall, Vernellia R.2019-09-252019-09-252011-06-162001-09-03http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12424/179084"Even though socially constructed, race, like geopolitical constructions, conveys both privilege and deprivation. We live in a world marked by poverty and underdevelopment. Eighty percent of the world’s population live in countries that have access to less than twenty percent of the world’s resources; while the other twenty percent live in the luxury of more than eighty percent of these resources. Similar disparities in resource distribution occurs within countries. Slavery, colonization, neo-colonialism, cultural imperialism and exploitation of the resources of the developing world (predominantly non-white) has resulted in the wealth of the developed world (predominantly white). Even within societies the distribution of valuable resources tracks race, with one group being privileged and the other groups deprived. That is why this paper refers to racially privileged and racially disadvantaged groups and countries. I use these terms to highlight the point that both countries and peoples are privileged and disadvantaged based on race. In addition, the question of which group is privileged or disadvantaged will vary from country to country; and the groups that are disadvantaged are not necessarily the numerical minority. Finally, I do not at all intend to assert or imply that there is any biological explanation for the privilege or disadvantage. All privilege or disadvantage related to race is socially constructed from a past and present built on slavery, colonization, neo-colonialism, cultural imperialism and/or racism (both individual and institutional). The World Health Organization defines health as ". . . a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."[45] However, for racially disadvantaged groups that definition has little validity. Colonialization, slavery, neo-colonialism and racism has assured that the developing world lags behind the developed world and that racially disadvantaged groups lag behind racially privileged groups.[11] The problem of racism and racial discrimination is evident not only in health status, but also in health care and in health care research. The pervasive nature of racism affects individuals at all economic levels, thus, there cannot be "complete . . . mental and social well-being"[57,45] for racially disadvantaged groups until the problem of racism is addressed and resolved."(pg 3)engWith permission of the license/copyright holderhealth ethicsdiscriminationracismBioethicsMedical ethicsHealth ethicsPreprint