There are vast differences in the health of minority populations in comparison to non-minority populations. These variations in health consist of external and internal elements, such as access to health education and care, stigmas associated with health treatment, and lack of culturally diverse health leaders. Deviations between the quality of health of minority populations is detrimental to the productivity of society. Minority health disparities have caused significant economic losses and have dampened the productivity of minority populations.…
The major points concerning the challenges to using a business case for addressing health disparities begins with the challenge of quantifying both the business case and the social case for addressing disparities. Sound business and quality improvement principles can guide health care organizations seeking to reduce disparities. Interventions may help focus resources and engage health care and community partners who can share in the costs of, and the gains from such efforts.…
Summary of Health disparities, is about gaps quality of health and health care across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. The Health Resources and Services Administration defines health disparities as "population-specific differences in the presence of disease, health outcomes, or access to health care. According to research United States, health disparities are well documented in minority populations such as African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, and Latinos. When compared to whites, these minority groups have higher incidence of chronic diseases, higher mortality, and poorer health outcomes. Among the disease-specific examples of racial and ethnic disparities in the United States is the cancer incidence rate among…
a. Consider any small groups in which they interact such as family, peer groups, social groups, sports groups, or any other small groups in which they are involved.…
Health disparity is the health outcome of between different populations. Health is put on a scale of either good or bad between populations. For example, people of different race, sex, age and so on (Healthy People 2020, n.d.). Healthy disparity is a health difference in people due to disadvantages of where people live, how much money they make and discrimination.…
This health disparity also incorporates poverty as a major peril for negative health outcomes especially for the minority and low-income population, who are at a socioeconomic disadvantage. The question here is how do we distribute an ample amount of wealth to those who cannot afford to pay for medical services or health insurance? History has shown us that the state of the economy cannot be underestimated—the economic plunge has and will continue to have serious impacts on…
According to (Kilbourne, Switzer & Fine, (2006), Health disparities are significant differences that are needed and viewed clinically and statistically in health care and health outcomes. These differences between groups of people can affect how often an illness(disease) have group affects, the number of people who have gotten sick and how many times do this particular disease or problem ends up with death occurring. There are a number of populations that can be…
Over the past decade a rapidly expanding body of literature has demonstrated the existence of healthcare disparities. While consensus has not emerged regarding the causes of disparities, they are generally thought to be related to provider, patient, and healthcare system factors. On the one hand, the current US healthcare system is oriented toward individualized acute care. Yet healthcare disparities by definition are a population level phenomenon. Individuals do not have disparities, groups and populations do.…
The best way for the medical profession to overcome disparities in healthcare is to enhance treatment outcomes by improving equality of care. As a child, I relied on government funded healthcare programs for medical treatment. Currently, I am insured through my employer’s health insurance policy and am able to enjoy the luxuries of having private insurance. Experiencing treatment from both channels I realized a gap in the quality of care. The medical profession can fill this gap by focusing on teaching compassion and equality in the classroom. Muhammad Ali once said, “It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief and once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.” If medical programs continue to emphasize the…
The medical profession can respond to healthcare disparities in several ways. In my opinion, their strongest methods in doing so are through education, volunteering, fundraisers, and community cohesion efforts. One has to remember that healthcare disparities are the end result, not the problem itself, and in order to prevent this outcome, the real issues must first be addressed.…
Causes of health disparities are health behaviors and healthcare access. Heath behaviors such as eating healthy foods, smoking, drinking, exercising, are all contributors of health disparities. Individual choices one makes such as to smoke while pregnant, can influence a health disparity of low birth weight or infant mortality. Healthcare access is also a contributor, especially in maternal and child health. In initiative to improve mothers' and children's healthcare access Medicaid expansions were made and the implementation of the Children's Health Insurance Program (Kotch, 2013).…
Health disparities has always been the nation’s major issue. One of the main factors that lead to this issue is the high cost of care. Many U.S. citizen are uninsured because they can’t afford to buy insurance. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was enacted to address this issue. Its goals to lower the uninsured rate by expanding both public and private insurance coverage, and at the same time reducing the costs of health insurance and increase the quality of care.…
Purnell, Jason Q., Peppone, Luke J., Alcaraz, Kassandra, McQueen, Amy, Guido, Joseph J., Carroll, Jennifer K., Shacham, Enbal, Morrow, Gary R. (2012). Perceived discrimination, psychological distress, and current smoking status: Results from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Reactions to Race Module, 2004–2008. American Journal of Public Heatlh, Vol 102(5), pp. 844-851.…
My second observation can be directly linked to the contemporary social issue of minorities and healthcare and racial inequity. During my observation there was no outside translator present and if not for the patient’s daughter, the patient may have gone without treatment. All nurses and doctors on the ER floor as to my observation did not speak Spanish, thus demonstrating the inequality of services provided for the Latino community. This demonstrates the conflict and inequity between the dominant group in the US (Caucasians), and subordinate group (ethnicity other than white). This individual micro social interaction (inequity of resources for a minority) may link to the macro issue of 85,000 African-Americans dieing in the year 2000 due to inequality…
Gender inequality is another form of injustice in health care that needs to be addressed and provided with an adequate solution. UN Women (2016) states that gender inequalities refers to the unequal rights and opportunities for men and women. It further details how men and women’s rights should not be dependent on their gender but should be given equal rights no matter what. The definition also implies that their right should be taken into account in an equal manner; one does not have priority over the other. Thus, gender inequality is not solely a women’s issue but a world social issue. To further explain why gender inequality is a tremendous problem, the Yentl syndrome will be used as an example. Merz (2011) states that the Yentl syndrome…