As a result of the importance placed on preventive services there is no shortage of studies examining preventive service utilization among various groups. Many studies have examined the factors affecting preventive service use with the most important including age5,6, race/ethnicity7-10, marital status11, and income. 6-8,11-13 The literature has documented disparities by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status in use of preventive services and shown that minorities are generally not as likely as Whites to receive services such as blood pressure checks, cervical cancer screening, and blood cholesterol screening. 14 Other studies have looked at the effects of education 9,15,16, usual source of care 15, and insurance 17-20 on the utilization of preventive services. While still other studies have sought to explore the role of health status 15, health beliefs 19, region of United States and whether a person lives in an urban or rural environment. 8 Less is known, however, about how differences in the use of preventive services vary across subgroups of the uninsured population. As a whole, the uninsured receive less preventive care. When issues are discovered it is typically at more advanced disease stages, and once a diagnosis is received, the uninsured tend to receive less therapeutic care. 21 The uninsured population is not monolithic and spans all levels of household income, education, and age. Even though there has been a large amount of information created by work on preventive services, a gap remains in the literature. According to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), an estimated 48.6 million people were uninsured in 2011. This figur... ... middle of paper ... ...tion to lower odds (OR=0.60) of being vaccinated in accordance with guidelines – those in the near poor category were had higher odds while those in the high income group had lower odds. Stratified results also revealed that Hispanics with incomes between 100% and 400% FPL had higher odds of a routine physical exam while those below 100% and above 400% FPL were not significantly different from Whites. African Americans in the middle of the income spectrum had higher odds of receiving blood pressure checks than whites of Hispanics. However, African Americans with either low or high incomes were not significantly different from Whites with low and high incomes. Hispanics followed a similar trend of rising odds for those between 100% and 400% FPL. Hispanic individuals in the lowest and highest income groups had lower odds of blood pressure checks as compared to Whites.
Due to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law on March 23rd, 2010; health care in the US is presently in a state of much needed transition. As of 2008, 46 Million residents (15% of the population) were uninsured and 60% of residents had coverage from private insurers. 55% of those covered by private insurers received it through their employer and 5% paid for it directly. Federal programs covered 24% of Americans; 13% under Medicare and10% under Medicaid. (Squires, 2010)
On a global scale, the United States is a relatively wealthy country of advanced industrialization. Unfortunately, the healthcare system is among the costliest, spending close to 18% of gross domestic product (GDP) towards funding healthcare (2011). No universal healthcare coverage is currently available. United States healthcare is currently funded through private, federal, state, and local sources. Coverage is provided privately and through the government and military. Nearly 85% of the U.S. population is covered to some extent, leaving a population of close to 48 million without any type of health insurance. Cost is the primary reason for lack of insurance and individuals foregoing medical care and use of prescription medications.
Health Insurance is essential to Personal Well Being and your Health. For a large proportion of uninsured people, health insurance can and most often a matter of choice. Uninsured Americans normally tend to delay and even go without doctors' visits, prescription medications, and other effective treatments, even if they know they have serious or a life-threatening condition. (Institute 2009). 20 to 30 percent of uninsured children are more likely to need certain shots, prescription medications, asthma care ,basic dental care and other things that we would consider a must have. Uninsured children with conditions requiring ongoing medical attention are 6 to 8 times more likely to have health care needs and can’t get the required tools and medicine that they need. Uninsured children are also more likely than insured children to miss school due to health problems and to experience preventable hospitalizations. (Institute 2009)Many of these children are classified as being the minority out of the 20 to 30 percent of children about 15 percent are minorities (H.
PR Newswire. (2013). Shifting toward preventative healthcare models in the United States. Retrieved from https://csuglobal.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.csuglobal.idm.oclc.org/docview/1442369628?accountid=38569
The United States spends vast amounts on its healthcare, while falling short of achieving superiority over other developed nations. One cannot overlook that the deepening recession has left many without jobs and therefore lacking health insurance. According to Fairhall and Steadman, (2009), even though the recession is hard on all, it is worse on the uninsured due to health care and insurance cost rising faster than incomes. Nevertheless, even those with jobs are lacking in health insurance due to employers, who provide insurance, are increasingly dropping their sponsored insurance. Many find that purchasing a health policy or paying for medical care out-of-pocket is cost prohibitive. “Since the recession began in December 2007, the number of unemployed Americans has increased by 3.6 million,” (Fairhall & Steadman, 2009). In 2009 it was stated that approximately 46 million Americans were uninsured, however not all of that number is due to the inability to afford coverage. According to a 2009 story written by Christopher Weaver of Kaiser Health News, 43% of that number should be classified as “voluntarily” uninsured. This subset of uninsured Americans consist of nearly half being young and healthy; therefo...
She demonstrated the inaccuracies and restrictions that each individual program provided to individuals who were not always poor enough to have access to them. She also compared immunization rates among poor minorities in Chicago with immunization records in Third World nations, which illuminated the weaknesses and lack of effectiveness of preventive measures across our nation based on the daunting facts in the city of Chicago. Preventive health was the most severe thing she reported as more care and resources were provided to individuals in their deathbeds instead of simple proactive measures that could prevent diseases and reduce overall cost. Across each example she was able to demonstrate the four separate levels of inadequate health care that are major determinants of poor health for many African American
Williams, D. R., & Collins, C. (1995). Us socioeconomic and racial differences in health: Patterns and explanations. Annual Review of Sociology, 21(1), 349. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=9509242616&site=ehost-live
As defined by World Health Organization (WHO), health is a "state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." (WHO, 2016). However, this statement can vary among people’s perspective of what consider healthy or unhealthy. In the minority group of Hispanics or Latino, health issues have taken a big toll due to fact they are the largest uninsured rates of any racial and ethnic groups in the United States (OMH, 2015). Besides not having health insurance, there are many barriers that this minority group encounters that create a big impact on what enables them to promote health. This paper will analyze the health status of the Hispanic or Latino groups by comparing and contrasting it to the national average, and also will highlight the health disparities in the group and the best approach to health using the three levels of health promotion and prevention.
The growing number of uninsured and underinsured is on the rise. In 1979, 11 million African americans were uninsured (Jaffe 10). Today, the number is 15 million and it is increasing every year (Jaffe 11). According to the Department of Health and Human Services, thirteen million blacks in America have health care and fourteen million do not (Fitzgerald 31). Also, those who are insured today may be at risk tomorrow if their employer drops coverage, or the head of the household changes or loses their job. Most blacks in the United States who are uninsured simply cannot receive health care at an affordable price because their employer does not offer it and self-insurance cost much more. The lack of adequate insurance can be devastating to families both in financial terms and in terms of timely access to needed health care (Jaffe 12). Altogether, collection agencies report every year that most blacks are in debt due to unpaid medical bills, because they are not insured or they are underinsured.
Heart disease is of utmost and imperative concern in the United States. It stands at the top of the list for causes of death in the U.S., and it can be absolutely devastating (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2013). In part one of the health disparities paper, disparity in relation to heart disease was pointed out in those of low socioeconomic status and/or minorities. Part two of this paper has been streamlined towards a more specific minority: African Americans women. The reason for focusing on the African American women population is that there is a huge amount of disparity seen specifically in this group. As of 2009, African Americans as a whole had 30% more of a chance of dying from cardiovascular disease than Caucasians (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Minority Health [OMH], 2012). The rate of Cardiovascular Disease in African American women specifically is higher at 48.9% than the rate of CVD in African American men at 44.4%, showing even greater disparity in African American women (American Heart Association, 2013). The goal of this paper is to identify and appraise two different articles surrounding this topic. Both articles involve an intervention in which similar community prevention programs were implemented in hopes to reduce the risk of CVD in African American women.
Limited access to health care services has a major impact in the health care system in Texas especially among the uninsured. This makes it very unlikely for most people to seek the health care they desperately need. According to United States Department of health and human services (2014 b), some of the barriers to seeking health care services are lack of insurance coverage, cost and appointment availability which subsequently leads to unnecessary hospitalization, lack of preventive health screening, delay in obtaining the right care and unmet health needs. In Texas, the uninsured are likely expected to pay for full cost of services compared to those with Medicaid or employer.According to report by Katherine Young & Rachel Garfield “one-third
According to the data given, by CTISP Community Survey 2010 by a Central Texas Region, Health care has a direct correlation to a person’s income or lack thereof. Table 1 displays a graph of respondents to a community survey about Health Care Coverage. The graph contains income amounts from $15,000 to $85,000 and percentages of people who do not receive coverage based on their income. The graph shows the lower the income the less likely to afford coverage. Table 2 displays, of those who took the survey their reasons for having no Coverage. The reason with the highest percentage was “could not afford prem...
Despite the substantial developments in diagnostic and treatment processes, there is convincing evidence that ethnic and racial minorities normally access and receive low quality services compared to the majority communities (Lum, 2011). As such, minority groups have higher mortality and morbidity rates arising from both preventable and treatable diseases judged against the majority groups. Elimination of both racial and ethnic disparities is mainly politically sensitive, but plays an important role in the equitable access of services, including the health care ones without discrimination. In addition, accountability, accessibility, and availability of equitable health care services are crucial for the continually growing
One of the most significant cultural issues impacting this situation is that Hispanics in the US have the highest rates of uninsured people, and the lowest rates of screening for cardiovascular disease and risks. Furthermore the Lavie and Lopez-Jimenez explain that besides healthcare coverage, and quality services there aren't enough epidemiologic studies and cardiovascular disease research focused on Hispanics (2014, pp.1). The diverse nature of Hispanics also amplifies this issue. The article also focuses on the “Hispanic Paradox” and how this issue impacts the situation. This paradox points out that even though Hispanics have “a higher prevalence of CVD risk factors and disadvantageous socio-economic situations” in the US they have a higher life expectancy
It is the first point contact with health services, it make possible entry to the rest of the health care system for those people who need it. Other developed nations have attained universal and fair access to primary health services, some of them directly provided and others through assurance of financial coverage for visits (van Doorslaer, Koolman, and Jones 2004). In the United States, socially disadvantaged populations are more likely than advantaged population to lack a regular source of healthcare. The beneficial impact of health insurance in the United States is largely to ease access to primary care (Starfield and Shi 2004; Lillie Blanton and Hoffman 2005). In the deficiency of health insurance, socially disadvantaged population groups are less likely...