In: Nursing
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics; and the National Institutes of Health have published reports and data on health disparities. List five (5) examples of these disparities.
Health Disparity
A help disparity refers to a higher burden of illness ,injury, disability or mortality experienced by one group relative to another. Health Care disparity typically refers to difference between groups in health insurance coverage ,access to and use of care ,and quality of care. It is a difference in health between Groups .for example people in low-income groups have more obesity than those in higher income group .Health disparities can be affected by characteristics of a group such as:
* sex ( male / female)
* race or ethnicity
* age
* income
* education
* gender, sexual orientation
* geographical location
* disability or special Health Care needs
Examples of health disparities
Health disparities can be related to sex, race or ethnicity ,income ,education ,sexual orientation or geography.
* Sex ( male or female)
Some diseases are more common among women than men. conditions more common in women are rheumatoid arthritis, depression and osteoporosis. liver disease and and injuries are more common in men.
* Race or ethnicity
Health disparities between different racial or ethnic groups are caused by differences in genetic factors, environments or health behaviours. minority populations often have higher rates of chronic disease.
• Black / African American, American Indians and Hispanic groups are more likely to die of diabetes.
• Black / African Americans and white groups have higher death rates for heart disease and cancer.
• for all three diseases, Black / African Americans have the highest death rate wild Asian or Pacific islanders have the lowest.
* income or education
Groups with the lowest income and education levels also have the lowest health status. groups with the higher income are more able to assess medical care and health information. higher income groups are also more able to take part in healthy behaviours such as exercise and eating well. obesity among the poorest group is twice the level of the richest group.
Education is also related to health. for people with less than 12 years of education (high school or less),the infant mortality rate and overall death rate is twice a high as people with 13 or more years of education (at least one year of college).
* sexual orientation
Homosexual men and women have more disparities. men are more likely to have sexually transmitted diseases ,drug and alcohol abuse ,depression, and suicide. Women have higher rates of smoking, being overweight, alcohol abuse, and stress.
* geographic location
A person's geographical location can also affect their health .for example ,rural areas tend to have fewer clinics and medical staff. getting health care ontime and in an emergency can be a problem. medical condition such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes in rural areas are more common.
Health disparities by racial or ethnic group or by income or education or only partly explained by disparities in medical care. inadequate education and living conditions ranging from low-income to the unhealthy characteristics of neighborhoods and communities can harm health through Complex Pathways.