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Discrimination against the LGBTQ community
Discrimination against the LGBTQ community
Combating health disparities
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What does the term health disparities mean?
Health disparities are the differences in health statues between different groups of people (Mitchell, 2015). These health disparities are closely related to social, environmental, and economical status of the people trying to get health care. Health disparities affect people who have gone through certain things based on their race, ethnicity, age, economic status and many more factors (Kotch, 2013).
2.Which racial/ethnic groups are more likely to be affected by health disparities? Why?
The racial and ethnic groups that are most likely to be effected by health disparities are people of color, such as black, Hispanic, and Asian Americans. These groups of people are more likely to be effected
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People for lower social economic statues, mainly minorities, are less likely to seek out health care because they are unable to pay for it. People in the LGBTQ community are also less likely to seek adequate health care for fear of being discriminated against (Kotch 2013).
4.What are reasons for disparities in access to health care?
The reasons for health disparities are the number of minorities and people of color who are uninsured and the affordability of health services will vary throughout the county. Many of the people who experience health disparities are not insured and therefor are less likely to go and get care if they are sick (Kotch 2013).
5.. How can health disparities be ended?
Health disparities can be ended by educating minorities about preventive screenings. Another way is to make health services more accessible to those who may not have access and/or are afraid to seek treatment (Mitchell, 2015). By having preventative screenings and better access to health services, the U.S. can reduce the number of people dying for treatable diseases and increase the number of people experiencing health disparities to seek
Health Disparities and Racism is an ongoing problem that is reflected among society. Health is when an individual is physically, mentally and social well being is complete. However health disparities seems to be a social injustice within various ethnicities. Health disparities range from age, race, income, education and many other things. Even though we realize health disparities are more noticeable depending on the region of country where they live in. Racism is one of the most popular factors, for why it’s known that people struggle with health.
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
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.
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
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.
Healthcare disparities are when there are inequalities or differences of the conditions of health and the quality of care that is received among specific groups of people such as African Americans, Caucasians, Asians, or Hispanics. Not only does it occur between racial and ethnic groups, health disparities can happen between males and females as well. Minorities have the worst healthcare outcomes, higher death rates, and are more prone to terminal diseases. For African American men and women, some of the most common health disparities are diabetes, cancer, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and HIV infections. Some factors that can contribute to disparities are healthcare access, transportation, specialist referrals, and non-effective communication with patients. There is also much racism that still occurs today, which can be another reason African Americans may be mistreated with their healthcare. “Although both black and white patients tended not to endorse the existence of racism in the medical system, African Americans patients were more likely to perceive racism” (Laveist, Nickerson, Bowie, 2000). Over the years, the health care system has made improvements but some Americans, such as African Americans, are still being treating unequally when wanting the same care they desire as everyone else.
Therefore, considering these issues is an impediment when discussing the disparities in health. Some minorities are disadvantaged in the current healthcare while some are not. However, it is complicated to identify reasons for inequalities because health outcome is a result of numerous interactions with factors including the individual’s access to care, the quality of care provided, health behaviors such as tobacco and alcohol consumption, the presence or absence of complicating conditions, and personal attitudes toward health and medicine. Therefore, Examining existing racial and ethnic issues, developing potential solutions for current disparities, and preparing for future challenges as shifts in trends emerge are essential aspects of health care improvements” (Boslaugh,
Social determinants of health has been a large topic for many years and can have a positive and negative effect on individuals, families and communities. (World Health Organisation, 2009) The social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, including the health system. These circumstances are shaped by the distribution of money, power and resources at global, national and local levels, which are themselves influenced by policy choices. Social determinants have many factors and in this essay education will be the main social determinant of health discussed and how this could have an impact on the physical and mental sides of health.
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
Healthy People 2020 focuses on many initiatives, however, the ones that interest me the most are making access to health services easier, achieving equal health by eliminating health disparities, and overall improving health-related quality of life. A main concern of Healthy People’s is disparities, and it is their goal to “achieve health equity, eliminate disparities, and improve the health of all groups” (Healthy People 2020). A disparity is when a health outcome is seen to a greater or lesser extent between populations. Healthy disparities are usually closely linked to disadvantages such as social, economic, and environmental. In order to eventually achieve a health equity, we must value everyone equally and address inequalities, injustices, and eliminate disparities within the healthcare system.
The reason blacks are the most unrepresented in health care comes from a variety of reasons. It could range from education, social class, to pure racism. Blacks on average die 3 times more than their white counter parts for the exact same procedure in hospitals (James 22). Some call this a coincidence, and some call it racism and discrimination at its best. Aside from that one main reason blacks aren’t getting the health care they need is because of education.
Moreover, gentrification powers the social determinants of health. In an initiative by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (2011) social determinants of health are defined as "…. conditions in the environments in which people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks. Conditions (e.g., social, economic, and physical) in these various environments and settings (e.g., school, church, workplace, and neighborhood) have been referred to as "place"". Essentially, social determinants of health are aspects of one's lifestyle that impact their health.
Several factors make these disparities accurate including “the social determinants of health which includes lower levels of education, overall socioeconomic status, inadequate and unsafe housing” (Thomas, 2014, p.1), and living near environmental hazards that cause poor health. The gap between minority representation and the general public is huge “compared to minority representation in health professions and biomedical and behavioral science” (Thomas, 2014, p.7494). Health care disparities need to be reduced to see a diverse, culturally competent health care workforce, which is why it is crucial to identify and address these disparities. Strategies to Minimize the Lack of Diversity in an Organization Strategies are needed to minimize the impact of how the lack of diversity will affect the organization. To strategize on reducing social ineptitude of the organization one must first know statistically what our culture will look like in the future so that necessary strategies can be made.
As the technology advances, people are able to access more information about the world. With this globalization, it makes us aware of more dilemmas that are occurring in the world. The term health disparities can be defined as a negatively impacting obstacle that affects health and is related to social or economic disadvantages (Pacquiao, 2016). In the following paragraphs, I will discuss the current health disparities, health care reform, and the protecting of human rights.
In the operation of the healthcare system, gender plays a central role. Gender discrimination in the healthcare exists either in the field of education, workplace or while attending to the patients. Interestingly, as opposed to other areas where discrimination lies heavily to a particular gender; gender inequality in health happens to both women and men. Gender inequality in the health care service negatively affects the quality of care given and perpetuates patient biases to a gender. Also, the gender disparities in the field of health assists researchers and practitioners to study conditions and their probable manifestations within both sexes.