Common topics (often labeled as units in a course or chapters in a textbook) are listed in the first column of the table. The next column lists one or more social issues that relate to that topic. The third column lists resources to learn about the link between the science topic and the social issue. The final column, representation, is a list of diverse professional who have influenced the knowledge of this science topic or are currently working in the field.
This is currently a resource for teachers to learn about these links between their science topics and social issues so that they can incorporate that link into their class in their own way. In time, we plan to add teaching resources, such as lessons, worksheets, labs, or other activities. We will also be adding a secure forum (membership required) so that teachers and content experts can discuss these topics with one another.
Who are these resources helpful for? A&P teachers, Biology teachers, teachers and professionals in nursing, medicine, and related medical fields.
| Science Topic | Social Issue(s) | Resources | Representation |
| History of Anatomy & Physiology and Medicine | Topic 1: Multiple ancient and/or non-Western people groups had extensive understanding of A&P and medicine. We can decenter the European perspective of this topic. Topic 2: Overlooked historical and current figures in medicine and A&P | Topic 1 Articles: Wikipedia: History of Anatomy Topic 1 Books: An Illustrated History of Science: From the Development of Agriculture to the Creation of Artificial Intelligence by Mary Cruse. History of Anatomy: An International Perspective. By R. Shane Tubbs, Mohammadali M. Shoja, Marios Loukas, and Paul Agutter. Topic 2 Articles: NYT: Rebecca Lee Crumpler | Blackinphysiology.com Twitter: @BlackInPhysiology Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, first woman in America to earn a medical degree. Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, first Black woman in America to earn a medical degree. Dr. Florence Rena Sabin, one of the first women physicians to go into research science, achieving a diverse and productive career in anatomy and physiology research. |
| Overview of Organ Systems and Body Orientation | Race is a social construct. False anatomical and physiological racial differences were invented to justify slavery and discrimination. The falsehoods along with discrimination have caused racial inequities in health. Many medical reference values have a race “correction” that may lead to insufficient care for non-white patients, especially Black patients. | Articles: NYT: Myths about physical racial difference lead to health inequity Scientific article: Hidden in Plain Sight — Reconsidering the Use of Race Correction in Clinical Algorithms Perspective in Medical Journal: How Medical Education is Missing the Bull’s-eye Resources: Evidence of Inequity in Patient Care Videos: Pathology Central: Selection of Video about Race in Medicine Ted Talk: the Problem with Race Based Medicine | Dr. Florence Rena Sabin, one of the first women physicians to go into research science, achieving a diverse and productive career in anatomy and physiology research. |
| Musculoskeletal system | Psychosocial stress leads to lower bone density in women. | Articles: Scientific article: Psychosocial stress and bone loss among postmenopausal women: results from the Women’s Health Initiative | |
| Integumentary system | How and why did different skin colors evolve? People within what we consider to be the same “race” do not all share the same genetic variants of skin color (or other genetics for that matter). Thus, races are not distinct genetic populations. | Articles: NatGeo: Race and Genetics: no scientific bases for race Videos: Dr. Raven the Science Maven: the evolution of skin color | |
| Nervous system and the senses | Addiction is a physiological phenomenon. Treating it as such, rather than as a moral failing, will lead to more success in treatment. | Articles: Vox: addiction is not a moral failure | Dr. Patricia Bath was the inventor of laser cataract surgery. As an accomplished ophthalmologist and Black woman, she held many “firsts” in her field. blackinneuro.com Professor May-Britt Moser, co-winner of the Nobel Prize for her discovery of grid cells in the brain, which are part of the positioning system. Italian neurologist Rita Levi-Montalcini, co-winner of the Nobel Prize for the discovery of nerve growth factor. |
| Respiratory system | Topic 1: Race correction for spirometers still used today was based on erroneous assumptions of antebellum doctors. Topic 2: Poor neighborhoods and Black and brown neighborhoods have higher air pollution levels. | Topic 1 Articles: Scientific article: Race, Ethnicity, and Lung Function Scientific article: Could race adjustments in spirometers exacerbate racial disparities in COVID-19 recovery? Topic 1 Book: Breathing Race into the Machine, by Lundy Braun Topic 2 Articles: Many U.S. neighborhoods with the worst air 40 years ago remain the most polluted | |
| Cardiovascular system | Race correction for reference ranges in hematology used today may lead to discrimination in diagnoses and/or labeling normal ranges in people who are non-white as “abnormal.” | Articles: Scientific article: Eliminating race-based reference ranges in haematology: a call to action Scientific article: When non-Whiteness becomes a condition | Dr. Helen Taussig founded the field of pediatric cardiology despite severe dyslexia, hearing loss, and gender discrimination. Dr. Paula A. Johnson, a cardiologist and researcher specializing in sex, gender and race differences in cardiac health and medical care, was the first woman and first African American to hold the position of Chief Medical Resident at Brigham & Women’s Hospital and is now president of Wellesley College. |
| Digestive system and nutrition | Topic 1: The Energy Balance Model (“calories in = calories out”) is likely not a good model to explain weight and causes harm to people outside of “desirable weight.” Topic 2: Dietary deficiencies cause disease among people experiencing poverty. | Topic 1 Articles: Scientific article: The Carbohydrate-Insulin Model Calories In=Calories Out is BS Topic 2 Articles: How poverty affects diet to shape the microbiota and chronic disease Topic 2 Videos: Pellagra and Poverty | |
| Urinary system | Glomerular Filtration Rate is a measure of kidney function. A racial coefficient is used to calculate it that may keep Black people from getting needed treatment. This coefficient is based on the erroneous idea that Black people have greater muscle mass than other races. | Articles: Summary of Nephrologist’s talk about Race and GFR at Kidney Week Conference New Scientist: Race-based adjustment removed from UK medical guidance Scientific Article: Removal of Race From Estimates of Kidney Function- First, Do No Harm | Professor Clintoria Williams leads the Kidney Pathophysiology Research Group at Wright State University |
| Immune system | Topic 1: How chronic stress affects the immune system. Topic 2: How racism and poverty lead to disease (e.g. inequality in COVID outcomes; redlined districts and disease). | Topic 1 Articles: Scientific article: Out of Balance A New Look at Chronic Stress, Depression, and Immunity Scientific article: Acute Stress Enhances While Chronic Stress Suppresses Skin Immunity: The Role of Stress Hormones and Leukocyte Trafficking Scientific Editorial: Stress and Immunity | https://www.blackinimmuno.org/ |
| Endocrine system | Topic 1: Hormones (along with genetic, environmental, and other physiological factors) are a large contributor to body weight (see also: digestive system/nutrition) Topics 2: Hormonal stress responses due to environmental injustices and racism affect overall health Topic 3: Endocrine disrupting hormones are in many consumer products and are spread throughout the environment. | Topic 1 Articles: HuffPost: Important lessons from the Biggest Loser Scientific American: Six Years after the Biggest Loser Scientific article: Hormone interactions regulate glucose metabolism and food intake Leptin: a piece of the obesity pie Topic 2 Articles: NPR: Extreme Heat is Getting Worse for Low-Income Non-White Americans APA Policy Statement: The Impact of Racism on Child and Adolescent Health Topic 3 Articles: How to Purge Risky Chemicals from Your Beauty Products Scientific Review: Endocrine-disrupting chemicals: implications for human health NIH Endocrine Disruptors Website | Dr. Rosalyn Yalow, medical physicist and co-winner of the Nobel Prize for development of the radioimmune assay. She used RIA to understand how insulin levels caused diabetes. RIA has been used to measure hormones and other molecules in the blood. |
| Reproductive system and development | Topic 1: Black newborns are more likely to die when cared for by white physicians than by Black physicians. Topic 2: People who identify as LGBTQ+ have difficulty getting appropriate reproductive medical care. Topic 3: Black maternal mortality and morbidity is far higher than other groups in the US. | Topic 1 Articles: What we can learn from how a doctor’s race can affect Black newborns’ survival Scientific article: Physician–patient racial concordance and disparities in birthing mortality for newborns Topic 2 Articles: Scientific article: Reproductive Health Care Priorities and Barriers to Effective Care for LGBTQ People Assigned Female at Birth: A Qualitative Study Topic 3 Articles: CDC report Challenging the Use of Race in the Vaginal Birth after Cesarean Section Calculator Topic 3 Video: Surviving Childbirth as a Black Woman (also touches topic 1) | Dr. Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard, the only German woman to win a Nobel Prize in the sciences, is a developmental biologist who helped elucidate the genetic control of embryonic development. |