What Causes Health Disparities

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health disparities are preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence, or opportunities to achieve optimal health that are experienced by socially disadvantaged populations. Health disparities are inequitable and are directly related to the historical and current unequal distribution of social, political, economic, and environmental resources (Health Disparities, 2015). There are multiple factors that contribute to health disparities such as, poverty, inadequate access to health care, inadequate education, environmental factors, and individual behaviors. An example of a health disparity is dropping out of school. Dropping out of school has a direct relation with
health risk because those individuals who drop out of school don't have an understanding of different health benefits or unhealthy behaviors (Health Disparities, 2015).

2. Which racial/ ethnic groups are more likely to be affiliated by health disparities? Why?

The racial/ ethnic groups that are more likely to be affiliated by health disparities are ethnic minorities such as, Blacks and Hispanics.
These ethnic groups are more likely to be affiliated by health disparities due to lack of access to health care, living conditions, lack of education, and environmental factors. Most explanations for disparities in health focus on individual health behaviors and personal choices (Kotch, 2013). These personal choices can be influenced by an individual's resources or lack there of. For example, an individual's ability to lose weight may be hindered because they do not have access to healthy foods or even to a grocery store (Kotch, 2013).

3.What are causes of health disparities?

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).

4. What are reasons for disparities in access to health
care?

Reasons for disparities in access to health care are lack of insurance, financial stability, education, and physical access to health care.
The population who is mostly affected by health disparities do not have access to health insurance due to not making enough money. Some governmental funded programs have been set in place to assist those with lack of access to health care to decrease health disparities. An example of one of those programs is Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, which is a program for low- income pregnant women that has contributed to the reduction of infant mortality (Kotch,
2013).

5. How can health disparities be ended?

Health disparities can be ended by implementing a healthcare system that provides equitable care to all families who reside in the United States (Kotch, 2013). Because the United States is becoming more and more diverse, the healthcare system needs to cater to the needs of all people with different cultures, beliefs, and values. Another way health disparity researchers can end health disparities is by working more closely with the populations who are affected by the disparities to come up with a solution. Health promotion programs and interventions will also help end health disparities (Kotch, 2013).