Health Disparities In The Medical Profession

As a medical profession, one must examine his or her practice and make sure it aligns with actions that are conducive to creating a more equal healthcare environment. This begins with facilitating greater access to primary care and actively providing services in underserved areas. The greatest way that primary care impacts underserved populations is through preventing disease and promoting healthy lifestyles. When a medical provider can see a patient while his or her condition is still at an early stage, the disease is prevented from progressing to a stage that is more difficult and costly to treatment. In addition to increased primary care access, it is also important for medical providers to educate the public about health disparities. A more educated public leads to a more educated voter population.

Medical providers must educate the public about ways in which political decisions can impact their health care coverage, and encourage voter education about platforms that align with the steps necessary to lessen health disparities. Medical professionals must also become aware of the social and cultural barriers to health. Health disparities are more than just lacking money to see a medical provider. It includes living in a location with no nearby clinics or hospitals, lacking transportation to see providers, and living in food deserts. In addition, language barriers and differing cultural practices contribute to health disparities. Medical providers should consider the barriers that each patient faces and work to alleviate those whenever