There are many good reasons for reducing societal racism and improving the racial climate of the U.S. The substantial health benefits of such interventions are an important benefit that is not widely recognized. Relatedly, some evidence suggests that many of the most promising efforts to improve health are likely to widen disparities because the most advantaged social groups are likely to extract the greatest benefit from them (Mechanic 2002). Accordingly, policies are needed that improve the health of vulnerable social groups more rapidly than that of the rest of the population so that health gaps can be narrowed.
