Journal article
Colonial Neglect and the Right to Health in Puerto Rico After Hurricane Maria
American journal of public health (1971), v 110(10), pp 1512-1518
Oct 2020
PMID: 32816540
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
The humanitarian crisis revealed as a result of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico demonstrates a long history of US colonial neglect and human rights violations. This reality has made it especially difficult for the people of Puerto Rico to achieve their right to the highest attainable standard of health.
The impacts are pervasive, resulting in disparities in Puerto Rican health, including water access and quality; wealth, including economic loss and disinvestment; and sustainability of the island’s resources. As a result of failed governmental protection and support, public health issues related to access to care, a failing infrastructure, and discrimination all contributed to crisis on the island. A human rights framework is necessary to assess the ongoing human rights violations of the quality of life to support millions of American citizens on the island.
This essay utilizes a rights-based approach to reveal historical disenfranchisement of Puerto Rico before the storms, identifies the specific human rights violations that resulted from the US government’s lack of emergency preparedness and responsiveness, and demands rebuilding the island to reconcile all that has been lost.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- Colonial Neglect and the Right to Health in Puerto Rico After Hurricane Maria
- Creators
- Samantha Rivera Joseph - Drexel UniversityCaroline Voyles - Drexel UniversityKimberly D. Williams - Drexel UniversityErica Smith - Drexel UniversityMariana Chilton - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- American journal of public health (1971), v 110(10), pp 1512-1518
- Publisher
- American Public Health Association (APHA)
- Number of pages
- 7
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Health Management and Policy; Community Health and Prevention
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000567587300028
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85090869573
- Other Identifier
- 991019168713904721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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Source: SDGs in the Output
InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Web of Science research areas
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health