In: Psychology
Illustrate what effects do dimensions of diversity have on health care disparity? Have you ever been or do you know anyone that is a part of an underserved population? How does this affect access to care? Define “dimensions of diversity” and “health care disparity” and explain how the reading and discussion from this week helped show the relationship between them.
A health care disparity means differences between groups in terms of their health insurance, access to health care facilities, and the quality of care given to them. The different dimensions of diversity refer to individuals from various socio-economic strata. These individuals have access to different health care facilities which is why there is a disparity. Studies find that people below the poverty line, underprivileged or from lower social backgrounds do not recieve the health care that they deserve. The manner in which health care is organized, funded and delivered also leads to various disparities. Some common dimensions around which disparities occur are - age, caste, creed, language you speak, socioeconomic status, geography, sexual orientation and gender. This affects access to health care because for example, if a transgender person is diagnosed with cancer, he might not be given access to a private room for chemotherapy, might be given cheaper medications, a shorter stay at the hospital, no insurance coverage etc.