What Are Healthcare Disparities?

Words: 731
Pages: 3
Open Document
Introduction

Healthcare disparities, also known as healthcare inequalities, are a significant issue for healthcare systems around the world. These disparities include differences in healthcare outcomes, access, and quality of care among various demographic groups. We will first define the term, examine the reasons for healthcare disparities, and then discuss the application of bioethical theories and principles in order to explain them and provide effective solutions.

Health care disparity

Healthcare disparities are a complicated issue with many dimensions, which include.

Access Disparities: According to Jones (2010), there are differences in a person's ability to receive healthcare services due to a variety of factors, such as insurance …show more content…
Inequalities in care and lack of access might restrict personal freedom and endanger wellbeing.

Bioethical Theories and Principle Approaches that Alleviate Healthcare Disparities.

Ethical Obligation to Close Gaps: Bioethicists contend that healthcare systems have an ethical duty to actively reduce gaps and promote health equity. Implementing laws and policies that deal with the root causes of inequality is necessary to achieve this.

Distributive Justice: This concept demands that healthcare resources be distributed equitably. The distribution of resources to underserved populations and groups can help healthcare systems lessen disparities.

Cultural Competency and Patient-Centered Care: Jones (2010) suggests that healthcare practitioners ought to strive for patient-centered treatment and engage in cultural competency training. This means working over language barriers, acknowledging and valuing cultural variances, and including patients in the decision-making …show more content…
An interdisciplinary approach incorporating bioethical principles like beneficence, autonomy, and justice is crucial for understanding and treating healthcare disparities, aiming to reduce healthcare inequities in outcomes, treatment, and access. In addition, implementing policies that address biases, prioritize marginalized populations, and ensure equitable healthcare access is essential for promoting everyone's health, regardless of background or situation, and ensuring ethical healthcare systems.

Word Count: 659.

References

Jones, C. M. (2010). The 'Standard'. The moral problem of health disparities. American Journal of Public Health, 100(S1), S47–S51. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2009.171181

Rawls, J. (1971) The 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary' of the 'Secondary A Theory of Justice. Harvard University Press. http://www.hdl.org/about/about/>. https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674000780

Williams, D. R., & Rucker, T. D. (2000). Understanding and addressing racial disparities in health care. Health care financing review, 21(4), 75–90.
Show More

Related Documents: What Are Healthcare Disparities?

Discrimination In Health And Social Care

Discrimination and healthcare provider bias is one of the most important factors that cause healthcare disparities among racial and ethnic minorities. Unfortunately, not many research were done on this specific factor. Therefore, we need to conduct more research to identify interventions to eliminate discrimination and healthcare providers bias against racial/ethnic minorities. We need to educate and retain our healthcare providers on unconscious bias towards racial/ethnic minorities and how they…

Words 427 - Pages 2

Vulnerable Groups: Elderly Population

care system, due to this population being made vulnerable because of their financial circumstances or place of residence, health, age, mental or physical state. Access to health care across different populations are the chief reason for current disparities in the United States health care system. The elderly population is a portion of the vulnerable population group and has become a very problematic issue affecting our nation. (Fagan, 2011) The elderly accounts for 14.1% of the population, this statistic…

Words 867 - Pages 4

Research Paper Hs

healthcare disparities and socioeconomiic status in america By Mohammed Alam Mohammed Alam Professor Hall Health Care Organization and Delivery November 25, 2014 Healthcare disparities are defined by the National Institute on Minority Health and Disparities as the difference in access to or availability of facilities and services(1). Socio economic status according to the APA is conceptualized as the social standing or class of and individual measured by the combination of education, income,…

Words 1719 - Pages 7

Disparity In Health Care

aspects of the modern world, but one problem that still faces the nation today is improving its healthcare. Trillions of dollars being poured into the healthcare system has still not been able to fix the health disparities we see in America today. Racial and ethnic health disparities have been a part of American society since its creation. Increased research on the inequalities that occur in healthcare across different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups has started to raise awareness of a much…

Words 1035 - Pages 5

Essay On Health Disparities

What does the term health disparities mean? Health disparities can be defined as, “a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage.” Health disparities affect those who already suffer great disadvantages whether that’s with race, social status, and financially. Tobacco use and pregnancy can be included when talking about health disparities in MCH. People know of the harmful effects with tobacco and using tobacco while pregnant…

Words 439 - Pages 2

Health Disparity In Health Care

As the United States turns towards a universal health care system we still have many who don’t have access to healthcare for various reasons. A few main reasons include the high cost of healthcare, racial category, gender or geographic location. Vaccines are essential to a person’s everyday life and well-being. Whether you call them immunizations, vaccinations, or shots they are essential to eliminating diseases. Contracting a disease such as polio, or diphtheria are extremely low because most people…

Words 1544 - Pages 7

Ethical Dilemmas In Health Care

because some family members by their culture may want some information withheld from the patient. (Andrews) Notwithstanding, health disparities due to economic, education, and health inequities are other forms which causes ethical dilemmas. Unlike many countries who has universal healthcare for their people the United States(US) does not, yet the US spends more on healthcare than any other country. Despite the effort that the National Health Services…

Words 375 - Pages 2

Importance Of Cultural Competence In Pharmacy

Cultural Diversity and Pharmacy Practice – O’Connell, MB In the article titled “Cultural Competence in Health Care and Its Implications for Pharmacy”, O’Connell discusses health disparities, specifically cultural competence and its association with the establishment of relationships in the field of pharmacy. Part of of the criteria for being a pharmacist is having to communicate with a plethora of individuals from diverse backgrounds. The lack of cultural understanding and competence from pharmacist…

Words 407 - Pages 2

African American Inequalities In Health Care

women, in particular, have faced and still face intersecting challenges navigating both racial and gender inequalities within healthcare systems. African Americans make up 13.3% of the population that bear the burden of poor health status in the U.S. Differences in population health between African Americans and non-African Americans have been linked to both ‘downstream’ factors, such as unequal clinical care, and ‘upstream’ factors, such as unequal education, income inequality and historical injustices…

Words 1491 - Pages 6

African American Culture Research Paper

Abstract The concept of Black culture arose as a result of prior experiences endured by African American people. This is exclusive to key historical events like slavery, colonization, and the civil rights movements, to name a few. Slavery played a critical role in the development of negative attitudes amongst African Americans regarding many aspects of life. Particularly the government, mortality rates, and health practices. Many ingredients used in African American dishes have African origins such…

Words 1657 - Pages 7