Disparities In Health

The healthcare system definitely has different demographics when it comes to race, age, socioeconomics, etc. Because the population is constantly changing, the health care resources are affected daily. With the aging population, there is room for advancement because with age comes certain illnesses and there is a much-needed percentage of care that is needed but not provided. Although, it is a dramatic difference in health among racial and ethnic groups as well. Each race has had its own life expectancy. “For example, compared to a baby born with a mother, a baby born to a black mother is more than twice likely, and an infant born to an American Indian or Alaska Native mother almost ½ times as likely, to die before reaching its first birthday”(DeVoe, Wallace & Fryer, 2009, p. 74). Also, a matter in health is the socioeconomic factors which include income and education. A person income can influence his or her ability to get the best care as needed. Where they live and go to school could determine their overall health status. People in poverty are most likely to have exposure to malnutrition or even extreme weather conditions. It has been found that poor health statuses are common in blacks and Hispanics than those who are white. The underlying issue for racial and ethnic groups is disparities in both access to and the quality of care that each race receives because of their financial situations (DeVoe, Wallace & Fryer, 2009). One should also consider the culture and religious differences in health care. In some cultures, male physicians will not see female patients. Then there are the cultures that do not take medicine or even visit doctor offices or hospitals because they believe that traditional medicines have harmful
consequences. They would rather use alternative remedies.
References
DeVoe, J., Wallace, L., & Fryer GE, J.
(2009). Measuring patients’ perceptions of communication with healthcare providers: Do difference in demographic and socioeconomic characteristics matter? Health Expectations, 12(1),
70-80.