A healthcare disparity is a limitation of healthcare availability, usually among a certain racial or socioeconomic demographic (Black, 2013). However, there are disparities that don’t have a specific demographic and affect the entirety of the United States, which are potentially most detrimental to the overall health of our country. One of those disparities is health literacy, or the exchange of complex information from the healthcare provider to the patient or client (Black, 2013). The lack of health literacy in America poses as a problem, especially with the chronically ill. Without proper knowledge of how to treat their illness and what to do when the disease process worsens or ameliorates can potentially cause millions of unnecessary hospitalizations, …show more content…
An MDI is an aerosol medication, taken orally and inhaled into the lungs (AAAI, 2015). A metered dose inhaler on a medical stand point is a bronchodilator and corticosteroid that aides in the breathing process when bronchiole tubes become constricted (AAAI, 2015). Bronchiole tube constriction is the reason for the difficulty breathing, and the main symptom of asthma (AAAI, 2015). An MDI dilates the bronchioles (AAAI, 2015). 73 patients were analyzed, and 16 of them were dubbed as having ‘inadequate health literacy’ (Bilderback et al., 2005). 10 questions were answered in true or false format to determine these results and 22% didn’t know how to properly administer their medication. These patients had no knowledge of when they should or shouldn’t take their medicine, when and how they should treat an asthma attack, and lastly how much time will persist before symptoms subside and how promptly they should be treated (Bilderback et al., 2005). Out of those 16 patients, 13 of them were hospitalized in the last 12 months, 14 of them had to visit the ER in the last 12 months, and 10 of them are said to have near-fatal asthma (Bilderback et al., 2005). On a satisfactory note, 11 of those 16 were removed from the list of those with inadequate literacy after one educational session …show more content…
In contrast to asthma, 285,000,000 people in the US had either type I, type II, or gestational diabetes in 2010 (Cavanaugh, 2010). Type 2 diabetes, which is acquired due to unhealthy lifestyle and other external factors, is more common, affecting 95 out of 100 diabetics. (Cavanaugh, 2010). The most crucial aspect of diabetes to have adequate knowledge about is glycemic blood levels (Cavanaugh, 2010). Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia are extremely common due to the pancreas’s inability to correctly administer insulin, the hormone that manages glycemic blood levels, throughout the body (Cavanaugh, 2010). According to the study, those who are more proficient in math had an easier time administering their medications (Cavanaugh, 2010). This is due to the necessary method of injecting insulin based upon measured levels of blood sugar using a device that pricks the skin, and calculates a value by testing the blood (Cavanaugh, 2010). While a lot of it is done automatically with today’s society, a basic instruction on how the electronic devices used would dramatically affect literacy outcomes (Cavanaugh, 2010). Low blood sugar or hypoglycemia is more common with individuals possessing inadequate health literacy (Cavanaugh, 2010). Without the proper knowledge, 30% of those with Type 2 diabetes are expected to have hypoglycemic emergency events, and out of the 14,000 tested, 11% of them did have a hypoglycemic
As an oncologist at Grady Memorial, an inner-city hospital located in Atlanta, Dr. Brawley witnesses the disastrous effects of healthcare disparity first-hand. Healthcare disparities are vast differences in quality and access to care between socioeconomic classes. "health care disparities refer to differences in health and health care between population groups. Disparities occur across many dimensions, including race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, location, gender, disability status, and sexual orientation "(KFF, 2016). As Brawley describes to us, Grady is a hospital that demonstrates health disparity at its worst. Brawley describes Grady as " a monument to racism, Racism is built into it, as is poverty, as is despair." (Brawley, 2011).
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.
Healthcare disparities within racial minority groups are an ongoing issue in the United States. Factors that affect these disparities are overall quality of care, access to healthcare, and access to insurance. Numerous efforts have been made to decrease the access and quality of care for minorities. The current intervention being used is the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This act was initiated by President Obama in 2010 and has had much controversy in the past years. The main arguments are the ACA increasing the taxes for Americans and the fact that all Americans must obtain insurance if proper funds are available. In 2014 the ACA Medicaid expanded and each state had the opportunity to expand if the state believed it appropriate. Out of the 50
In today’s society, there is still a great struggle with health care disparities and many lives are affected by the lack of this fundamental program in our society. There are millions of people who die each year because they are unable to afford quality healthcare. The debate still continues about healthcare inequalities, what causes this disparity and who are affected by it. Health care is more of a necessity rather than a luxury and even though skeptics may argue to the latter, it only underlines the importance of the need for the wellbeing and care of individuals. There are several factors that could contribute to the lack of health care in the United States which ranges from but not limited to race, gender, socio- economic status, and lack of insurance coverage. The truth is there is a great disproportion between who can really afford quality healthcare as appose to individuals who have it. One would imagine that an employed individual would easily afford quality healthcare but we could be no further from the truth, since one’s economic status is an essential determinant to its affordability.
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.
Health disparities are present in our health care system. Whether it be racial, educational, or environmental, these disparities exist and are detrimental to health care outcomes. While there have been recent advancements in how to eliminate or reduce these disparities, there is still a major inequity in health care for all individuals.
The U.S. healthcare has been dealing with disparities for centuries. These disparities can be racial, social, or economical. The disparities are easier to see when compared to other reference points, such as policies, procedure or protocol. Williams & Torrens, 2008 list several disparities when it comes to patient care, such as minorities are less likely to get diagnosed with cancer verses whites, patients with lower socioeconomic statuses are less likely to received diabetic services, and many more. In order to eliminate some there disparities it must first be recognized by others that it is a serious problem. These problems have been around for years; therefore the public must put pressure on the policymakers to promote change. In order
Healthcare disparities have been an issue all over the world for a very long time. The purpose of this paper is to give you knowledge on disparities within the health care environment. This paper will discuss the definition of disparities, types of disparities, reasons for disparities, statistical data from trends and reports, and information on disparities elimination and improvements.
Health care is one of the most controversial and discussed topics in the United States. This is mainly because of the enormous issues that surround this subject matter, such as the goal of creating a greater diversity in the medical professions, the goal to reduce health care disparities, and mainly to improve health care for all. In my personal experience this issues have affected me and my family very closely. As immigrants, I saw my parents struggle with the language, adapting to a new culture and even seeking healthcare. Health care disparities is an imminent issue that affects many of us, including me. On top of the financial struggle my parents faced as immigrants, they also faced the barrier of not being understood. I witnessed how my
Social locations and societal makeup of neighborhoods and communities undoubtedly influences local incidence and perception of health and illness. The many ramifications of “social location” such as education level, poverty, and targeted institutional and social prejudice construct the fabric of the morbidity and mortality that we see in minority populations (the heterogeneous amalgam of race/ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, political, and economic minorities). Factors such as access to healthcare, health education, community cleanliness and pollution, willingness to seek care, and fear of discrimination can partially explain health care disparities as they relate to such populations. I think a good way to approach the topic of vulnerability
In today 's society, we are fortunate enough to live in a very diverse and multicultural nation. Thus, one may not realize that there is a vast array of health issues that is associated with it. A variety of issues that could come with a multicultural society could include, but not limited to: health disparities, access to healthcare, getting equal and quality care, and cultural appropriation. Likewise, there are factors involved that prevents people of minority groups from gaining access to the health care they need like a language barrier or no health insurance. One of the major factors involved that prevents access to proper health care is the built environment in which one lives in. The built environment consists of settings that were designed, created, and maintained by human efforts. The environment one lives in determines what kind of toxins they are exposed, as well as access to resources such as food, parks, schools, and healthcare. Not to mention, where one lives indicates their predicted life expectancy, socioeconomic status, health disparities they are also exposed to. As such, one of the most controversial and debated issue of the built environment is the displacement of the occupying demographic of the area. This is also known as gentrification.
The status of disparities in 2016 is that many groups face substantial disparities in access to utilizations of care. Minorities face more access barriers and utilize less care then Caucasian counterparts. In many cases minorities are less likely to have routine care visits in the previous year comparison to Caucasian. Additionally, to the barriers of access to care, minorities experience poor experience in health care. It is reported that low-income people of all races report worse health status than higher income status. (Winker, 2006) So, where does the U.S. go from this point forward? What is known we still have a health care disparity that exist and persist in the U.S. While health disparities still are viewed, and reflected in race/ethnicity,
Before beginning the WebQuest, I felt that it is ridiculous that health disparity is a common problem in the United States. Healthcare should be available to everyone who needs it and should not be so expensive that families go into debt because of their medical bills. Now, I did not believe health care should be free, but I did believe that there should be affordable insurance for individuals of all social classes. I would say there are many factors that can play a part in promoting my feelings, for example, I am a young white female that has never been without health care, and has no chronic illness. I also work in the healthcare system, which is a factor that could influence my attitude and view about this topic. After completing this assignment,
Americans seek healthcare to prevent, diagnose and treat most diseases. However many Americans do not get the coverage or practices that are guaranteed by the doctors oath. Insurance plays a major role on the type of care a person receives. It can also effect the type of medications prescribed by a doctor. The type of care can depend on if the individual seeking care has insurance or if they go to the community clinic for free healthcare.
In the other side, eHealth has been a solution in healthcare disparities. Above the previous period a quickly increasing body of works has established the reality of healthcare disparities. Although agreement has not appeared concerning the reasons of disparities, they are normally assumed to be connected to worker, patient, and healthcare system aspects. On the other side, the present United State healthcare system is concerned with near personalized severe care. Yet healthcare disparities by description are a people equal phenomenon. Persons do not have disparities, but populations and groups have disparities. Therefore people’s equal data alone will not allow us to grow customized interventions. Correspondingly, biologic, cellular, or molecular