Health Disparities And Health Care

Health disparities are gaps in the quality of health and health care that mirror differences in socioeconomic status, racial and ethnic background, and education level. These disparities may stem from many factors, including accessibility of health care, increased risk of disease from occupational exposure, and increased risk of disease from underlying genetic, ethnic, or familial factors (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious

In the United States, we believe that health care should not differ by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status or geographic location. When these differences do exist, they are referred to as disparities. We see this when racial and ethnic minorities receive lower quality healthcare than whites, when age is a determinant of quality of care, when level of education or sexual orientation are taken into consideration or when a person is uninsured or must rely on government issued health coverage for care. It is important to understand that differences in

Barriers to healthcare include factors that restrict or hinder people from receiving adequate and quality health care service. Health care disparities are those differences that negatively affects less advantaged group (Mehta, 2014). Health care barriers play a significant role in comprehending causes of disparities. This paper will discuss the obstacles and disparities that exist and affects healthcare.

Health disparities amongst African-Americans continue to destabilize not just the various communities but the health care system as a whole. Minority groups especially African-Americans are more probable to agonize from certain health illnesses, have higher mortality rates and lower life expectancy than another other race in the nation. Health disparities are complex and incorporate lifestyle choices, socioeconomic factors such as income, education and employment and access to care services. For the elimination of health disparities within the African-American community, there requires a need for equivalent access to health care and cultural suitable health ingenuities.

Health Disparities are unjust and unequal quality of health or health care outcomes which most often occurs as a result of margin in educational level, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and demographics.

The United States is faced with multiple health disparities within the country that encompass many challenges for individuals when it comes to the fairness and access to health care. A health disparity is defined as the inconsistency of treatment between two different groups of individuals. Treatment that could be different could be seen as different care due to age, race, ethnicity, culture, or current socioeconomic status (Koh et al., 2012). Treatment may be harmful for individuals as a result of miscommunication that may be perceived the wrong way. Individuals with low health literacy do not understand the purpose of particular drugs or the name of one’s condition, which can further leave an individual vulnerable to harm. Individuals may sign consent they do not fully understand, and will receive unwanted care and procedures (Clark, 2011). Healthcare providers need to be aware of an individual’s level of understanding before harming the individual with irreversible procedures.

Although the United States is a leader in healthcare innovation and spends more money on health care than any other industrialized nation, not all people in the United State benefit equally from this progress as a health care disparity exists between racial and ethnic minorities and white Americans. Health care disparity is defined as “a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social or economic disadvantage…adversely affecting groups of people who have systematically experienced greater social and/or economic obstacles to health and/or clean environment 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” (National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities [NPAEHD], 2011, p. 3). Overwhelming evidence shows that racial and ethnic minorities receive inferior quality health care compared to white Americans, and multiple factors contribute to these disparities, including geography, lack of access to adequate health coverage, communication difficulties between patients and providers, cultural barriers, and lack of access to providers (American College of Physicians,

Barriers in health care can lead to disparities in meeting health needs and receiving appropriate care, including preventive services and the prevention of unnecessary hospitalizations (HealthyPeople.gov, 2012). In their 2008 annual report, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality lists several disparities’ in health care. They report that racial and ethnic minorities in the United States

There is some sort of reasons existing for the disparities in health care such as,

Racial bias in medicine leads to worse care for minorities is an article from U.S News & world report on the website http://health.usnews.com/health-news/patient-advice/articles/2016-02-11/racial-bias-in-medicine-leads-to-worse-care-for-minorities.

The United States’ whole social structure and system of relations developed based on race, and this prejudice has stuck around to this day, specifically in the U.S.’s healthcare system. It has been found that minority groups often receive less and lower quality treatments than those who are white. On a national scale, ethnic health disparities have become more of a priority in recent decades. Specifically since The Office of Minority Health was established in 1986, and more recently, since “Healthy People”, a popular magazine, named the elimination of these disparities as one of its national goals to accomplish by 2010 (Yang). This paper will explore some of the possible solutions to this extreme gap in health.

minority groups." ("Disparities in Healthcare Quality Among Racial and Ethnic Groups", 2012) According to census data from 2010, African Americans received worse medical care than Whites for 41% of quality measures. They also had worse access to health care for 32% of access measures. Not only are there disparity in the quality of care for some minority groups, but disparities in access to care are common as well, especially in the Hispanic and Latino populations. According to the same 2010 census date, Hispanics received worse care than non-Hispanic-Whites for 39% of quality measures. In addition, they too had worse access to care than non-Hispanic Whites for 63% of access measures. Unfortunately, "racial and ethnic minorities are more likely than non-Hispanic Whites to be poor or near poor" ("Disparities in Healthcare Quality Among Racial and Ethnic Groups", 2012) In general, these poor and underserved populations receive worse care than higher-income people for roughly 47% of quality measures.

disparity of access to quality health services in certain areas of Indiana is seemingly nothing less

One fundamental concern of public health is why some people are healthier than others. Part of the answer may be related to health and health care disparities, which are the differences or gaps in health (eg, life expectancy, morbidity, risk factors, and quality of life) and health care access and quality between segments of the US population as related to race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (eg, income, education). In fact, racial and ethnic minority children are more likely to receive treatment for asthma in emergency departments as opposed to seeing a primary care physician for medical care. (2013, July).

quality health care services. “The most comprehensive recent research on inequalities in health care for U.S. minorities shows that, even with equivalent insurance, racial and ethnic minorities are likely to receive less or inferior care compared with whites” (Kornblum; Pg. 38). It is believed that certain races, ethnicities, social class, and genders are more likely to encounter more diseases and illnesses than most, which causes their life expectancy to be low, and for this they are not granted equal health care. Millions die everyday from diseases that could easily be treated if only they had the proper health care services.