What does the term health disparities mean?
Health disparities according to Medline Plus refers to the differences in the health status of different groups of people. (MedlinePlus, 2017) These differences are mainly the rates of which diseases and deaths the most common among that certain group compared to others. Groups can be based on a person’s race, ethnicity, immigrant status, disability, gender, income, and geography. Health disparities are unjust and related to the unequal distribution of social, political, economic, and environmental resources available to people. (CDC, 2015) Health disparities are common among discriminations in education. It has been said that individuals with lower education levels tend to be at a higher risk for
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There are links to poverty and the poor health of an individual. Health disparities can be very detrimental to someone’s health. Some causes of health disparities can be the following: heart disease, diabetes, obesity, elevated blood pressure levels, HIV, and low birth weight. (Minnesota, 2013) Just these health issues alone could lead to more health risks. Another factor is culture. Culture can be very important when determining what to do based on beliefs and practices.
4.What are reasons for disparities in access to health care?
There can be many reasons for inequalities in health care. One being the economic status of the individual or family. The lack of access and understanding of available resources is another factor for disparities in access to health care. If more people were educated on what is available to them they would have a higher chance of being qualified to be insured. Language barriers can also be a factor that comes into play. Not being able to read and understand what an application or person is saying can very frustrating and will lead to nowhere.
5.How can health disparities be