Health Disparities In The United States

Summary of Findings
Health care cost is increasing everyday and poor health status is increasing because of that more people are obese, sick and unhealthy overall. Health care plans should report five behaviors which are smoking, physical activity, excessive drinking, nutrition and condom use according to (Kottke, 2010) Poor health status is increasing health care cost. Determining the findings of a patient at an earlier stage can prevent complications and improve health care systems. “The lack of tools to measure the effect of clinical services on US population health is rooted in the historical development of the American clinical health care system, which evolved to respond to the acute care needs of the individual: relief of pain and suffering through diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and reassurance” ( Kottke, 2010)
The United States is striving to improve health disparities and health care
systems. Health disparities are related to racial, educational and income disparities. Patients who had little education, were younger, lower income and were healthier knew little information about health disparities.

Problems Associated with Health Care Systems and Health Disparities
Health care systems are not providing preventative services to patients which are causing health care cost to increase and not affordable for patients.
When a person is not able to afford something they avoid it, and that is how a person treats health care. Suffering from a serious illness and knowing that they cannot afford it is a horrible thing because the illness could be prevented or treated if health care was affordable. Health disparities in the United States are based off of income and education levels. Certain groups of people cannot afford healthcare and due to that they are more prone to suffer from a disease or illness. “Clinical preventive services also improve population health. People are more likely to receive appropriate preventive services when quality assessment systems ensure that they are informed about the benefits of the services and invited to accept the services”. (Kottke, 2010) The National Opinion Research Center completed a random digit-dialed telephone between November 2008 and February 2009. Below is how the research was
constructed.
“7 panels to examine opinions about different types of known health disparities and randomly assigned respondents to 1 of these panels. the question structure was the same across all panels, except that we asked respondents to consider differences between 2 comparison groups based on race African Americans vs. Whites”( Booske, 2011)

Actual Resolution
Health care systems created The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation program leadership for healthy communities to address childhood obesity and eating healthy. The health disparities results from their respondents were that, fewer were aware of health disparities between African Americans and whites, they also were less aware of the link between health and education. Respondents who were younger, less educated, lower incomes, healthier, and or politically conservative were less likely to be aware of health disparities. (Booske, 2011)

Reaction, Solution or Recommendation
The United States needs to decrease the cost of healthcare so people will be able to afford health care. A lot of illnesses and diseases will be decreased and treated appropriately if people could afford healthcare. People also need to be aware of health disparities; they need to know what they are at risk for and to take care of themselves. Race, income or education background should not affect someone’s opportunity to get well and know information about their health.