Health Inequality

Health inequality and equity is best understood as a linking concept. To conclude if the one can constitute the other, we must first define them. Best defined health inequality is understood as various health states which individuals experience within their population (Ataguba, Akazil & Di Mclntyre, 2011). Whereas, health inequity refers to plausibly and systematically avoiding health difference through social structures or barriers (Braveman, Kumanyika, Fielding, LaVeist, Manderscheid & Troutman, 2011). In layman’s terms health inequity can refer to the fairness of a health system. With health inequity and health inequality being defined, we can hypothesize that inequality in health can constitute health inequity. For example, health inequality

The dominant root causes for this health inequality is individuals culture, education, treatment and fear of stigmatization. Put forward, one of the major causes of the mortality rate between mothers and new born are the decision to not seeking out medical treatment from clinics or hospitals out stigmatization. (Kakuma, Kleintjies, Lund, Drew, Green & Flisher, 2010). Stigma is obtain paired with the fear of being judged by others (Silal et al., 2012). Silal et al. (2012) suggest that many women within rural communities often refrain from going to medical centres as they are often met with ill mistreatment, disrespect and are often spoken down to. This was demonstrated within Silal et al. (2012) study where a participant refrained from seeking medical assistance as she fear that by being young, poverty-stricken and still in school the nurses would treat her badly. Furthermore, Silal et al. (2012) also suggested that often women were mistreated by being turned away from the clinics as they far enough within the labour period, this would however, resulted in some still births as no one with medical training was around when they mother gave birth (Silal et al., 2012) Another root cause of maternal mortality rate is culture paired with education (Kakuma et al., 2010). Which is also rooted in poverty. As many women do not have access to health facilitates due to their location, they are often dependent on traditional healers rather than doctors (Ngomane & Fhumulani, 2010). As this is a constant within rural communities it often becomes a practice in which the community does not seek formal, western medical assistance, but uses the guidance of elders and rational healers (Ngomane & Fhumulani, 2010). Ngomane and Fhumulain (2010), put forward that many cultures believe that pregnancy needs to be preserved, both physically and spiritually. Therefore, some pregnant individual did not to hospitals or clinics as they were advised that there are evil spirits within the