Unequal access to public services has contributed to an increase in obesity rates among Americans. A study by the National Recreation and Park Association found that populations in underserved communities, have higher obesity rates than populations in better served communities. The highest obesity rates were found among African Americans at 44.1 percent, followed by Hispanics at 37.9%, and the least among Caucasians at 32.6 percent (Parks & Recreation, n.d.). The study found a correlation between access to parks and green spaces with certain qualities that increased their use. The qualities equated to shorter walking distances to parks and recreations areas from dwellings, parks and recreation areas with higher acreage, parks and
1. What does the term health disparities mean? Health disparity is a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic, and environmental disadvantage. "Health disparities affect group of people who have systematically experienced greater obstacles to health based on their racial or ethnic group." (Kotch, 2013 pg. 233) 2.
This overwhelming statistic contributes to the 17% of children that have obesity in the United States. More specifically in Texas, 19.1% of children are considered obese. Furthermore, Texas is tied for the rank of 11 for the highest obesity rates among the United States. Looking at the Brazos County every one in seven person is obese. This statistic accounts for the one half of the population is overweight or obese. In lower-income areas such as parts of the Brazos Valley, obesity rates tend to be higher compared to higher income areas. reveal to have higher obesity rates. This is because majority of low-income families have less access to healthy food and opportunity for physical activity. Lower income neighborhoods offer a higher accessibility to unhealthy food sources. In a study done on low-income areas of Los Angeles, it was shown that a greater number of fast-food restaurants congregate the low income areas of Los Angeles compared to the higher income areas of Los Angeles (Hilmers, et al., 2015). Results for similar studies done on the amount of convenience stores in certain areas show that “Low-income zip codes have 30% more conveniences stores” compared to middle-income zip codes (Hilmers, et al., 2015). Convenience stores tend to carry large amounts of snack food, a variety of beverages, and little produce. Low-income areas also reveal that the portion of recreational facilities in
Health Disparities, a term most common in the United States (Public Health Reports), is known as the difference or inequality that is justified by using people’s race, gender, age, rank, and socioeconomic status. In other words, it known as injustice in the health care services. Inequality within health care access has been a topic for years due to noticeable inequality. Inequality in health care for mother’s ranges from age, race, income status, and education. When the health care providers has the ability to deny service to anyone they feel cannot benefit the provider or the mother, this is where a disparity becomes the outstanding limit of injustice.
Governmental agencies influence health policies by influencing the Federal government, State government, and local laws by using population health research studies and interventions studies reported of health disparities. In addition to being well informed with health disparities they have access to investing, research and collecting evidence in assisting them to gather information that can influence health care polices. With each research that is conducted can possibly create new or old policies to be improved and aimed to reduce health disparities.
“Nurses have a long and rich history of wanting to do the most good for the most people. Today, it is imperative that advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) continue that tradition by delivering care that improves the health of populations.” (Curley & Vitale, 2016). Along with other health care providers, APRNs individually share the responsibility of promoting more healthier lifestyles among his or her surrounding community. Over the course of the past several years, much needed attention has been focused towards population based health disparities and the impact thereof on our nation. In the pursuit of obtaining a healthier society, the U.S. government has designed and utilized a program presently titled HealthyPeople2020. This program
Throughout the course we discussed the causes of health disparities which really impact me a lot, due to my directly work with minorities. I hear many times that stress can kill a person, and based The Death Gap stress it focus on structural violence throughout the book, it is the policies and laws that determines your access to a quality life. Minorities are segregated into certain communities where there is poverty, violence and less access to resources and that has a major impact in the quality of health and life that leads to premature death. African American are victims of discrimination when trying to buy a house on a more well off area, or rental discrimination. Income inequality affects minorities and access to health care. We need
One of the major obstacles for researchers in the field of Health Psychology and Aging is understanding the role of health disparities across different populations. Health disparities can be understood in terms of differences in some facet of health and well-being across different groups of people. The issue of health disparities across different populations is one that must be understood not only in the context of genetic and biological factors, but also in the context of a broader sociocultural perspective. The influence of health disparities are implied in the context of aging, but are discussed across the entire lifespan. The existence of health disparities in later life is often a product of a lifelong experience and life-course trajectory. This essay will address some of the major
Growing up, my dad always told me that we were the lucky ones. At the age of 15, he escaped from Vietnam, leaving with only the clothes on his back. Saigon fell to the north, sending people in a final desperate exodus. He would say “If the mines didn’t kill me, the bullets surely would. If the bullets didn’t kill me, drowning would and if drowning didn’t kill me, dehydration would.” In spite of the possibilities faced by thousands like him, my dad made it onto the US Navy ship. While my parents had escaped the war, we faced a different conflict in acclimation. My dad struggled to keep a job. We could barely afford rent, nevertheless see a doctor. For some people, “health disparities” can be described in terms of statistics and terms like “preventative care” and “optimizing accessibility”. For my family, “health disparities” was just a part of life in America. It was the uselessness I felt as I watched my dad work 80 hours a week at several minimum wage jobs just so my brother and I could focus on school. It was the frustration I felt spending hours in vain researching ways to ease my mother’s pain as she suffered from years of untreated stomach ulcers. It was the worry I felt knowing that, despite ranking among the top 10% of students in my high school class, I still could not afford to go to college. In spite of everything, I am one of the lucky ones as I was able to fully fund my college education in scholarships and grants. I am lucky because these experiences taught me
Mortality rates: In gender men generally die earlier than women because of many aspects of their life, for instance in general women tend to take care of them self more physically. A lot of women go on diets and a lot of exercise DVDs and detunes are mainly aimed at women. Women in general do try to eat healthy and go on diets whereas men usually aren't very aware of their diet and don’t have much intention on improving it. Women also tend to go to the doctors and seek medical advice more often and have their illnesses diagnosed and treated more often than men. Because women' generally take more care of themselves and do more to keep themselves healthy.
Improving the health of the socially and economically disadvantaged is a major task. Many Americans are living with poor health because of their socioeconomic statuses and it has many negative effects on their long term health. Improving access to health care is not enough to help fix the lower death rates among low income families. Our social status in our economy has large effect on our lives including how we are able to live our lives and in tern it has large measurable effects on our health. San Antonio is no exception, in low income areas the mortality rates by diabetes are stunning and need to be changed in order to help improve the lives of so many people. In my essay I will be proposing a plan to help lower
Many factors contribute to differing racial and ethnic health needs, including culture norms, religious mandates, and health disparities. The health disparities refers to specific differences in disease incidence, health outcomes, quality of health care and access to health care services that exist across racial and ethnic groups (Mandal, 2014). Disparities may result from inadequate access to care, poor quality of care, cultural issues and social determinants.
In the poem, Beowulf was a perfect way to portray how Anglo-Saxons viewed heroism. Beowulf was a quintessential hero. Beowulf’s courage and strength is unparalleled, and is much more honorable and humble than other warriors. Beowulf had certain qualities other warriors did not. He had courage, loyalty, wisdom, and an enormous amount of strength.
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
In the critical reflection 2, we will be recalling the term health inequality. And, find out the importance of needing a policy to answer the necessity of health disparity. In the first section of the paper, two of the policy solutions will be introduced and will also mention how these policies affect population, and the policy maker. The other section will state the pros and cons of the policies from the writer’s perspective. Finally, the conclusion emphasizes on the significance of answering health disparity by using the policies and how it helps to reduce the inequality.
“The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance-it is the illusion of knowledge.”This was quote said by Daniel J. Boorstin. When it comes to writing papers or even making crucial decisions that are between life and death, there are always people that seem to ignore what may seem right due to being self-righteous and thinking that they know everything. Those people always tend to fail because of believing that they can always trust themselves and nobody else. When it comes to ancient literature, writers tend to add in a story about a journey to certain destination or thing. The main character is described as the hero of the story and always starts out strong and superior to the other people but has a flaw. However, after the journey, those characters completely change themselves due to the hardships that gave them some sort of knowledge. This was an aspect that was put into the story of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh was the king of Uruk that was called a god and a man and was an incredibly powerful tyrant that always seemed to get his way. Gilgamesh eventually finds Enkidu who had an equal amount of power as him and becomes his companion. Although being foil characters, they have such a strong bond and are basically one person. Being both incredibly strong, they decide to go to defeat the giant Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven sent down by the Goddess of love, Ishtar. Unfortunately, because Enkidu is imprudent to Ishtar, he is chosen to die. A death that caused a vast amount of