Environmental Disparities in Health
Health disparities are the inequalities that occur in the provision of healthcare and access to healthcare across different racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups. Health disparities negatively affect groups of people who have experienced greater social or economic obstacles to health. Social structures and economic systems attributing to health disparities include the social environment, physical environment, health services, and structural and societal factors. Environmental health disparities arise among racial and ethnic minorities as social and environmental factors interact. Studies suggest that disadvantaged communities facing environmental disparities face a greater likelihood of exposure to ambient
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That is, persons living in poor neighborhoods, even after accounting for their individual socioeconomic characteristics, tend to have worse health outcomes (Winkelby and Cubbin 2003).
As discussed in class, the lower an individual’s socioeconomic status is the more likely a health disparity is present. Morland and Morrison discuss how a neighborhoods economic deprivation may compromise resources promoting health. For example, poor and minority neighborhoods tend to have fewer grocery stores with healthy foods (Morland 2002) and fewer pharmacies with needed medications (Morrison 2000). Minorities are more likely to live in areas with building code violations and neighborhoods with deteriorated housing (Perera 2002)
Disadvantaged neighborhoods are general exposed to health hazards, including tobacco and alcohol advertisements as well as toxic waste incinerators, and pollution. As research has shown minority neighborhoods tend to have higher rates of mortality, morbidity, and health risk factors compared with white neighborhoods, even after accounting for economic and other characteristics. In general racial minorities have a lower socioeconomic status compared with
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Although it is intuitive to hypothesize that disparities in health arise because of socioeconomic differences between racial groups, studies often find that racial disparities persist even after accounting socioeconomic factors. Ethnicity is highly correlated with residential location, with minorities and whites often living segregated from one another. Differential residential location comes with differential exposure to health risks.
. In a 1995 article pertaining to socioeconomic and racial differences in health Dr. Collin Williams explains how he believes that socioeconomic differences do not completely explain racial disparities, rather it argues that social class is merely an important mediator. Therefore, it is hypothesized that race determines one’s economic resources, which in turn determine health. Thus, although socioeconomic conditions do not fully account for health disparities, they are a necessary part of the equation (Williams
Through the weekly courses, lectures and readings, I have learnt a lot about racial and ethnic disparities, racism amongst minorities (Hispanics, African American-Black, Asians, Latinos). America is a nation of immigrants and their health and healthcare consists of multi-ethnic immigrant stories. I want to share some thoughts on racial and ethnic health disparities, on why I think that America is still a racist nation and racism is so insidious and pervasive. 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
Health disparities endure tenacious issues in the United States of America, setting certain groups at higher risk of being uninsured, limited access to care, facing a poorer quality of care, and overall negative health outcomes. The high incidence of health disparities reflects the range of individual, social, economic, racial/ethnic and environmental magnitudes. Among the minority groups, African-Americans disproportionately access health care and the health disparities clearly glow in the nationwide.
Often the term “disparities” is related to a specific racial or ethnic group of people, many variations of disparities exist in America, mainly in regards to health. If any outcome from health disparities can be ascertained is populations and regions in America.
For this paper and hereinafter 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.”(healthypeople.gov). This definition is from Healthy People 2020, the guide for the Nation’s health promotion.
A health disparity according to Healthy People 2020 is “a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage” and most commonly affects groups of people that have been faced with
While there is no clear definition of what health disparities are, Healthy People 2020 defines them as “differences that occur by gender, race or ethnicity, education or income, disability, geographic location, or sexual orientation” (Adler, 2008). Health disparities are not determined by solely biological differences, but rather more attributed to the environment surrounding a person. The public health industry is so concerned about racial health disparities that stem from the social environment
Medical advance and improved technology providing all Americans more healthier and long lives more than ever before .In contrast racial and ethnic minorities experience significant number of health disparities .The major factors of these minority group health disparities are income, education, and work status, as well as poor housing,
A person’s health behavior has an effect not only on themselves, but also to a community due to the possibility of a risky behaviors. Genetics are a health disparity when in reference to the genes a person may inherit which can cause certain diagnosis and diseases. Social circumstances can increase a person genetic and health behavior to cause more health disparities that could have possibly been avoided. Lack of income and affordable health care also cause health disparities in reference to not being to afford annual doctors visit as well as a routine dentist
The difference in health outcomes and the determinants between parts of a population caused by social, demographic, environmental and geographic characteristics is defined as health disparities (Dore & Eisenhardt,2015). Societal, economic, and political forces impact social determinants. (Dore & Eisenhardt, 2015) have indicated that health inequities are avoidable and preventable when appropriate actions are taken to lower the risk of illness.
Minority health disparities continue to be a pervasive problem within the United States.The Institute of Medicine defines disparity as, “differences in treatment provided to members of different racial or ethnic groups that are not justified by underlying health conditions or preferences” (Snowden 526). Despite adjustments made to access-related factors, insurance and income, minorities still tend receive lower-quality health care than whites (Flores, Olsen and Tomany-Korman 183). According to the Centers for Disease Control, “Relatively little progress has been made toward the goal of eliminating racial/ethnic disparities” (Gronman and Ginsburg 226). In this paper, I will describe the different health disparities that racial, ethnic and sexual minorities experience throughout their lives. I will then discuss the policies health care providers and government entities have put in place in order to eliminate the disparities between minorities and whites.
Evidence show that people from lower class backgrounds and ethnic minority’s backgrounds are more likely to suffer more health problems to the majority ethnic group this shows a pattern of inequality.
Health inequalities are preventable and unjust differences in health status experienced by certain population groups. People in lower socio-economic groups are more likely to experience health inequalities than people in higher socio-economic classes. Health inequalities are not only found between people of different
This essay will discuss ways in which a person’s socioeconomic class and his/her social situation can have an impact on his/her health, using examples. We believe that there is a direct link between socioeconomic/social class and health (Adler et al. 1994). I will be defining the key terms: socioeconomic and health, social class then proceed to discuss about how poverty, income, employability, environment and housing can impact on a person’s social situation and their health.
Socioeconomic status and diversity may affect health status in many ways. “Researchers often use singular indicators of socioeconomic status (SES) such as income, education, or occupational attainment interchangeable. However, the interaction among these indicators differ by racial and ethnic group” (Kominski, 2014, p. 86). Individuals with low-incomes and low-income community’s health status are often negatively impacted due to the inability to receive and maintain adequate health services. The psychosocial pathway theory and material deprivation pathway theory analyze the negative effects that may occur with individuals who have low incomes. The overall condition of a community and the diversity of the people who occupy it also have
Environmental factors impact health across life-course. Neighborhood and housing conditions influence health and well-being (Mier et al., 2017). Communities with higher social capital are stronger economically, because businesses are likely to be in abundance, and thriving, as people have easy access to them (Putnam, 2000). The literature suggest that neighborhood characteristics, such as SES, social cohesion, and ethnic segregation of neighborhoods significantly predict children’s health outcomes (Acevedo-Garcia, Rosenfeld, Hardy, McArdle, & Osypuk, 2013). Living in disadvantage neighborhoods is associated with poor self-reported health and physical functioning, partly due to the stress associated with living in a neighborhood where