A health disparity is a term used to show that there are inequalities that occur in the healthcare system. Race, sex, age, disability, and socioeconomic status can all attribute to a person 's health outcome. According to Healthy People 2020, health disparity is defined as “a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage. Health disparities adversely affect groups of people who have systematically experienced greater obstacles to health based on their racial or ethnic group; religion; socioeconomic status; gender; age; mental health; cognitive, sensory, or physical disability; sexual orientation or gender identity; geographic location; or other characteristics historically linked to discrimination or exclusion.” In the United States, many ethnic minorities experience the effects of health disparities. African American, Asian American, Latinos, and Native Americans have a higher occurrence of poor health outcomes compared to the white population. Some examples of health disparities include: African American men, for instance, are more likely to die from cancer than white men. White women are more likely to develop breast cancer than African-American women. African-American men are more likely than white men to develop prostate …show more content…
The social inequalities that are present in our society are also present in our health care. A person from a minority group who experiences racial discrimination is more likely to become ill. When they do become ill, they will find it more difficult to become well due to the inadequate health care. This explains why racial health disparities exist. Conflict theorist claims that larger social systems are intergraded, but rather separated by race, class, and gender( ____). According to this theory, people are in constant battle between power and
The public needs to address racial disparities in health which is achievable by changing policy addressing the major components of socioeconomic status (income, education, and occupation) as well as the pathways by which these affect health. To modify these risk factors, one needs to look even further to consider the factors. Socioeconomic status is a key underlying factor. Several components need to be identified to offer more options for those working on policy making. Because the issue is so big, I believe that not a single policy can eliminate health disparities in the United States. One possible pathway can be education, like the campaign to decrease tobacco usage, which is still a big problem, but the health issue has decreased in severity. The other pathway can be by addressing the income, by giving low-income individuals the same quality of care as an individual who has a high
Racial disparities in The United States health care system are widespread and well documented. Social and economic inequalities between racial minorities and their white counter parts have lead to lower life expectancy rates, higher infant mortality rates, and overall poorer health for people of color. As the nation’s population continues to become increasingly diverse, these disparities are likely to grow if left unaddressed. The Affordable Care Act includes various provisions that specifically aim to reduce inequalities for racially and ethnically marginalized groups. These include provisions in the Senate bill and House bill that aim to expand coverage, boost outreach and education programs, establish standards for culturally and linguistically appropriate practices, and diversify the health care workforce. The ACA, while not a perfect solution for eliminating health disparities, serves as an important first step and an unprecedented opportunity to improve health equity in the United States.
Health disparity is one of the burdens that contributes to our healthcare system in providing equal healthcare to everyone regarding of race, age, race, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status to achieve good health. Research reveals that racial and ethnic minorities are likely to receive lower quality of healthcare services than white Americans.
Williams, D. R., & Jackson, P. (2014, April 1). Health Affairs. Social Sources Of Racial Disparities In Health. Retrieved April 29, 2014, from http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/24/2/325.short
Williams, D. R., & Jackson, P. B. (2005). Social sources of racial disparities in health. Health Affairs, 24(2), 325-334. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.24.2.325
“Racial and ethnic disparities are the differences in the rate of incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden of diseases and other adverse health conditions that exist among specific racial and ethnic population groups” (Kominski, 2014, p. 95).
The goal within the United States government is to treat each individual as an equal citizen. Unfortunately, through the inadequate practice of public policies people have been treated unequal because of natural conditions and the countries social environment. In health policy, the two concepts that cause unequal treatment are health disparities and health differences. Health disparities are resulted from social factors that are avoidable and unjust. For example, saying ovarian cancer death rates are higher because men have better research on prostate cancer (Smith, 2016). “The extent and nature of health disparities changes over the life course” (Adler, 2008, p. 241). Health differences are inherently biological being completely natural and
What are Health disparities? Health disparities are "preventable difference in the burden of disease, violence, injury or opportunities to meet optimal health experienced by socially disadvantaged populations". This population can be defined by elements such as race, gender, income, career and geographical location. Health disparities are biased and are related to the historical and uneven distribution of social, economic, political and environmental features. Some of this features include poverty, ecological risks, limited access to health care, educational discriminations and individual and behavioral factors. Some people believe that health disparities are ethically wrong because it demonstrates historical inequality. some ethical values of important in bioethics such as "Kantian ethics, contractarian ethics, and utilitarian ethics have provided theoretical justification" on why health disparities are ethically wrong. While most people believe in the unfairness of these approach to health care solutions, others sorely believe that this approach is beneficiary for those that can't afford proper care due to cost because of their financial limitation, geographical location, ethnicity/race or gender orientation. In this paper, I will expatiate on some disadvantages subsidized by this factors to the population in concern and will cite some of the difficulties faced by these populations due to their inadequate access to good or better health care.
For many decades, Americans’ health has been greatly impacted by many social, economic and environmental determinants (Plough, 2015). These social, economic, and environmental determinants include income, education, ethnicity, natural and built environment. These factors create the health disparities in the health care system. The culture of health has changed over the last several generations. Health is viewed as not just needing to seek health care, but rather to recognize all aspects of people’s lives that support an active and healthy lifestyle and environment. The aspects can be their work, families and comminutes (Plough, 2015).
The determinations must be joined with broader rules and companies to support community health through racial equity in education, occupation, lodging, and the court system. Better incorporation of these methods to decrease racial disparities in health care and community health will endure and rush progress in narrowing the racial gap in life expectancy, and it will boost the financial value that comes with better well-being and endurance. Until then, efforts to battle racial inequality will persist as significant in health care as they are in many other surfaces of American
Large disparities exist between minorities and the rest of Americans in major areas of health. Even though the overall health of the nation is improving, minorities suffer from certain diseases up to five times more than the rest of the nation. President Clinton has committed the nation to eliminating the disparities in six areas of health by the Year 2010, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be jumping in on this huge battle. The six areas are: Infant Mortality, Cancer Screening and Management, Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, HIV Infection and AIDS, and Child and Adult Immunizations.
According to the institute of Medicine (IOM), racism is a problem in the health care system, that is, the difference between the quality of health care received by minorities and non-minorities is due to racism. IOM is a nonprofit organization that advises the federal government and the public on science policy. It released a report that on average, minorities receive a lower quality of care, even when factors such as income and type of health insurance are accounted for. The report by IOM states that racial stereotypes and prejudice are the cause of the health care disparities. The article by IOM points ...
The disparities in the healthcare system contribute to the overall health status disparities that affect ethnic and racial minorities. The sources of ethnic and racial healthcare disparities include cultural barriers, geography differences, or healthcare provider stereotyping. In addition, difficulties in communication between health care providers and patients, lack of access to healthcare providers, and lack of access to adequate health care coverage
Woolf, S. & Braveman, P., 2011. ANALYSIS & COMMENTARY: Where Health Disparities Begin: The Role Of Social And Economic Determinants—And Why Current Policies May Make Matters Worse. Health Aff, 30(10).
The paper is a secondary research paper. The paper is looking at the the health disparities that women have that but men don't have.