Health Equity in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election | New England Journal of Medicine (nejm.org)
The article outlines how the next U.S. president will face multiple severe epidemics, including maternal mortality, firearm-related deaths, opioid addiction, and obesity. These crises disproportionately affect marginalized groups, with significant disparities in health outcomes between Black and White populations. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump offer starkly different policy approaches, rooted in ideologies of structural inequity versus personal responsibility. Harris supports expanded government intervention, such as extending Medicare and ACA subsidies, while Trump emphasizes deregulation and individual choice. Policies on gun control, reproductive rights, and mental health would also diverge significantly, affecting vulnerable populations differently. Despite these ideological contrasts, the Supreme Court and potential legislative obstacles may constrain either candidate's ability to fully implement their agenda.