Racism as a social determinant of health and its mechanisms of action in Brazil

A scoping review

Bibliographic Data

ID19474348
AuthorsAna Carolina De Oliveira Costa (0000-0001-8477-2072, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz), Letícia Lemos Jardim (0000-0003-3358-0075, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz), Rômulo Paes-Sousa (0000-0002-3384-6657, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz)
Year2026
Volume31
Issue4
Publication date2026-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCiência & Saúde Coletiva (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1413-8123 • E-ISSN: 1678-4561
PublisherFapUNIFESP (SciELO) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1590/1413-81232026314.09512025en
OpenAlexW7162988030
LanguageEN
References cited54

The myth of racial democracy has contributed to the invisibility of racism as a determinant of social and health inequalities in Brazil. Despite the influence of racism on illness and mortality, there are still few studies that address it as a social determinant of health, and it is often treated as a secondary factor. This study conducted a scoping review to identify racism theories that explain its effects on the health of the Brazilian population. Four theories that position racism as a social determinant were identified: structural, institutional, vicarious, and anti-Black racism. These theories operate through historical, social, and symbolic processes that structure inequalities in interpersonal and institutional relationships. The findings show that racism negatively impacts the health of the Black population and reinforce the need for scientific production and formulation of public policies that address racial inequities, promote equity, and ensure human rights in the field of health

Action (physics) · Health equity · Invisibility · Population · Psychometrics of racism · Public health · Race (biology) · Racism · Social determinants of health · Social inequality · Race, Genetics, and Society · Race, Identity, and Education in Brazil · Racial and Ethnic Identity Research

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access