Health and Health Disparities
While the diversity of the American population is one of the Nation’s greatest assets, one of its greatest challenges is reducing the profound disparity in health status of America’s racial and ethnic minorities, And although some of the causes of disparate health outcomes, such as differences in access to care, are beyond the scope of biomedical and bio-behavioral research, the need still exists to address and ease health disparities involving cancer, diabetes, infant mortality, AIDS, cardiovascular illnesses, and many other diseases.

Background
Disparities in health are significant and, by many measures, expanding. Recent studies have shown that despite the steady improvements in the overall health of the United States, racial and ethnic minorities experience a lower quality of health services and are less likely to receive routine medical procedures and have higher rates of morbidity and mortality than non-minorities. Disparities in health care exist even when controlling for gender, condition, age and socio-economic status. Low-income populations and communities of color disproportionately experience worse health and safety outcomes across a broad spectrum of illnesses, injuries, and treatments.

In the U.S. it’s extremely important to address these disparities because the populations that we currently call minorities are growing rapidly. Current estimates indicate that around the middle of the twenty-first century minorities are expected to comprise the majority of the population. This could cause the cost of care to increase substantially and the health profile of the nation to decline. In addition, the U.S. has an aging white population leaving the two demographic groups—minorities and elderly whites—in need of increased care. This would be extremely problematic since a younger, sicker working population could also have serious implications for the economy, ultimately leading to less productivity and potentially affecting the country’s standing internationally.

Preventive Measures
They key to promoting health equity advances a deeper understanding of how fundamental causes of disparity (e.g., economics and oppression) shape community environments and how these environments, in turn, shape health. To improve health status and equity, we need to give proportionately greater attention to a prevention-oriented approach. Policies and organizational practices that improve the environments in which people live, work, learn, and play are powerful tools in reducing disparities. Every community is different, and understanding the factors that most influence health inequities is vital in designing strategic responses. The process of eradicating of health disparities can start by changing the way that:

• Providers such as doctors, dentists, social workers, and nurses deliver care;
• Patients understand and participate in managing their own care; and
• Communities learn to strengthen the provider-patient partnership.

Sources:
Human Resource and Service Administration
Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities

Minority Health Today Archive