With the ongoing changes on policies in healthcare, it is imperative to consider the legal and ethical issues in health disparities and access to care based on the socioeconomic status. Research have shown over the past 25 years that disparities in the quality of care are highly influenced by individual characteristics such as race, gender, ethnicity, education, income, and age. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) recognized that providing care is not simply a “one size fits all” approach especially with the diverse population in today’s society. As healthcare professionals, we need to be alert and know how to properly intervene with such disparities so that the care provided is tailored to the individual.
Health inequality can be characterized as the distinctions in health status or in the circulation of health determinants between two or more diverse populace bunches. It is the term utilized as a part of various nations to allude to those occurrences whereby the health of two demographic gatherings (not inexorably ethnic or racial gatherings) varies regardless of near access to health care administrations. Such illustrations incorporate higher rates of morbidity and mortality for those in lower socio-economic gatherings than those in higher, and the improved probability of those from ethnic minorities being determined to have a psychological wellness issue. Health imbalances are frequently seen along a social inclination. This implies the more
The most important of the vast privileges today’s generation of America has in my opinion are freedom and choice. Of course none of these would’ve been possible without blood, sweat, and tears from our soldiers. America has more than enough gifts to offer for everyone ranging from rich to poor and good to bad. Schools are great and have many advantages that other countries lack. Our veterans have given us everything we need and more so the vast majority of us can be successful.
One of the major obstacles affecting black women's access to health care is systemic racism. Racial biases pose a significant danger to black women, as they affect their physical and mental well-being. Studies have shown that race-based medical biases can result in incorrect diagnoses, prolonged wait times, treatment delays, and neglect. These issues make it challenging for black women to receive prompt and adequate health care. Additionally, many black women lack health
The election time is the most crucial time every four years in which citizens decide who will represent them and their country. The candidates spend an abundance amount of money to impress the general public about their character and their future goals for the citizens. While every single person has a political stand on which candidate or party they support and which they do not, not all of these people end up making it to the voting ballot. In fact, in regards to the voter turnout, the United States of America experiences a drastically lower number of participation in comparison to other countries. Plenty of reasons interfere with this unfortunately low percentage number and the essential one being the government allowing its citizens to exercise
Health disparities have been an issue all over the world. In the United States, individual and community activism have been seen in an attempt to address the health inequalities of the underrepresented groups tracing back to 1781 (Mitchell, 2015). With the passing of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the hope for social equality and justice through insurance for all remains complex. The legislation will certainly provide better health outcomes, but health advocacy remains an important aspect in changing the landscape of our health system. A study indicated that the overall rate of insurance coverage increased and a decreased in “coverage disparities related to race and ethnicity” was noted a few years after the ACA was passed (Buchmueller,
In a Health care and Research Quality report focusing on national trends in the equality of health care, it was found that major disparities still exist in America (Casale, 2010). Casale (2010), found that blacks received worse care than Whites for about 40% of measures, Asian Americans received worse care than Whites for about 20% of measures, and Hispanics received worse care than non- Hispanic Whites for about 60% of core measures. These statistics reflected the disparities and show an alarming gap in the quality of care being received. According to the Agency for Health care Research and Quality (AHRQ), very few disparities in quality of care for minorities are
There is evidence that suggests individuals of lower economic status and certain minority populations receive lower quality healthcare. Furthermore, it has been documented that disparity exists between treatment received by minorities with HIV, heart disease, and cancer which can ultimately lead to reduced patient outcomes (McCorry and Mason, 2011). How infuriating! It is my belief that humans are all created equally in the eyes of God and should receive equal treatment.
Renowned author of Under the Skin and associate professor at CUNY’s Journalism School, Linda Villarosa delivers several key facts in her interview on Black American regarding racial health disparities in America. Villarosa discusses many factors of health disparities, such as the distrust African Americans have of the healthcare system, the unjust treatment of African Americans in the hands of healthcare practitioners, and the underrepresentation of African Americans in clinical trials. Villarosa makes it clear that there is a deep disparity between the treatment of black and white Americans in the healthcare system. The author uses statistics and anecdotal evidence to present a thorough evaluation of health disparities in America.
This essay aims to identify and evaluate the inequalities in health care in different areas of society, namely disability and gender. Firstly, it is important to understand what we mean by health inequalities. It is commonly understood that health inequality refers to unjust differences in the health status, usually preventable, between different groups, populations or individuals. The existence of such inequalities is attributed to the unequal distributions of social, environmental and economic conditions within societies. Such conditions determine the risk of individuals getting ill, their ability to prevent sickness, as well as opportunities to access to the right treatments.
Kaiser Family Foundation (2012), health and health care despairs refer to differences in the health and health care between population groups. The health disparity generally refers to a higher burden of illness, injury, disability, or mortality experienced by one population group relative to another. A health care disparity typically refers to the differences between groups in health coverage, access to care, and quality of care. While disparities are commonly viewed through the lens of race and ethnicity, they occur across many dimensions, including socioeconomic status, age, location, gender, disability status, and sexual orientation (HKFF,
Some changes that can be done is to create different goals to fit different individual groups. Two or more agendas should be in place; one catering specifically for the underprivileged, single-parent households, teen parents, low-income. The other for those who have support, accesses, and resources, but may be lacking in other areas, this current agenda can be kept. Special attention should be given to those who need the most care.
As time continues to march forward, the trend in the growing gap between the haves and the have-nots continues to widen. We now know that these trends have real consequences for the health of patients and society as a whole. As a nation, we have conventionally thought it was acceptable if the rich got richer, so long as the poor were modestly provided for. As the healthcare industry evolves due to the growing socioeconomic gap between rich and poor, the health of the nation as a whole deteriorates and the cost of maintaining an economically operational healthcare system becomes impossible. For nurses who live and work in this environment, it is their duty and moral obligation to advocate for every single patient, regardless of patient characteristics like; immigration status, race, gender, location and income level.
Healthcare differences or disparities refer to the condition or state of unequal, unlikeness, and disproportion that is observed between people within a society with regard to access to healthcare services (Williams & Torrens, 2011). Such differences are caused by different demographics such as economic status, age, gender, color, and ethnicity. In the United States, such disparities have been witnessed since time immemorial. These differences mean that some people within the country do not have access to quality healthcare services whereas others have full access at all times. Some of these differences in access to healthcare in the country are discussed below.
For examples, policies related to public assistance programs, affordable health care, human rights, educational, employment, housing are just a few issues whose primary focus should be equity. Perhaps one of the most discussed current policy equity is the U.S. healthcare system. Significantly, there are many underlying issues in looking at the disadvantaged in healthcare equity. Because of the great disadvantages in the healthcare system, policymakers should give an extra effort in making sure that healthcare is an equity public policy. “Affordable health care for all” might require equal access to and availability of health care for all, regardless of the ability to pay for the care” (Musgrave, 2006, p,
Health inequality and equity is best understood as a linking concept. To conclude if the one can constitute the other, we must first define them. Best defined health inequality is understood as various health states which individuals experience within their population (Ataguba, Akazil & Di Mclntyre, 2011). Whereas, health inequity refers to plausibly and systematically avoiding health difference through social structures or barriers (Braveman, Kumanyika, Fielding, LaVeist, Manderscheid & Troutman, 2011). In layman’s terms health inequity can refer to the fairness of a health system.