Health Disparities
Health Disparities
Health disparity is a term that refers to a specific group of people or specific population that experience differences when it comes to disease, quality of healthcare, their health outcomes, and their access to health services that are existing across ethnic and racial groups. Thus, the term refers to various groups of people in which their differences affect the frequency of the disease, which also affects their own group (HJK Family Foundation, 2012). There are various populations that are being affected by health disparities such as ethnic and racial minorities, the population of a rural area, the elderly, children, women, and persons with disabilities. We discussed the health disparities that happen in particular population such as the gender and age. Thus, this discussion is important so as to identify the reason that health disparity still happens on these groups and how behaviors can be improved to achieve adequate healthcare. Relatively, the purpose of this writing is also to reach the conclusion as to how the gap between quality healthcare and the affected populations can be closed.
Summary of Articles
Tseng and Lin (2008) claim that disease has patterns that transformed it from being a communicable to chronic one. One of the patterns that have been identified is the person’s lifestyle in which being linked to the cause of disease. Thus, these are the behaviors that are directly affecting the person’s health such as smoking, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and living in stress. The authors discussed that the identification of these behavioral patterns is an important tool to develop health education programs (Tseng & Lin, 2008). Primarily, the study aims to examine the different patterns of behavior of various groups based on gender and age, which led to the identification of health disparity reasons among the included population groups. The particular group is demographically identified such as their age, gender, employment, educational level, and their marital status. Based on studies conducted among gender groups, both male and female age between 25 and 39 are the ones who practice less protective behaviors in contrast with older age. Thus, people of older age from 40 and above are the ones who practice preventive behaviors such as doing physical activities and eating vegetables and fruits. Additionally, the older age groups are the ones who proactively use the preventive services more than the younger ones making the latter to fall into underserved populations. On the other hand, gender also plays role why health disparity happens. Findings show that among younger age, male is more likely to participate in risk behaviors such as smoking, and alcohol drinking than females (Tseng & Lin, 2008). The authors confirmed that there are age and gender disparities in terms of health-related behaviors. Generally, various behavioral patterns are comparable. However, their correlations and individual behaviors vary by age status and gender. Thus, this could be the reason behind having an underserved population within such age and gender groups.
Another article was also written pertaining to women in relation to disparities in heart disease. Malarcher et al. (2001) claim that women with cardiovascular disease are among that include in disparity issues. As described in the article, elderly women are at the highest risk of suffering from heart disease (Malarcher et al., 2001). It has also been found that large disparities also occur between various ethnic and racial groups. When it comes to mortality due to heart disease, African American women in the country have the highest rates, which are being followed by white Americans. Next in the highest mortality rates are both Alaska Native and American Indian women, Hispanic, and then the Asian American women. Evidently, for all ethnic and racial groups, women are the ones who are experiencing declines in terms of heart disease as well as stroke mortality. The evidence still shows the same trend, but it now became slower. Relatively, Malarcher et al. (2001) also claim that sequential decrease of such disease may have been affected by various factors such as prevention efforts, early detection, healthier living, treatment, and working social environments. Additionally, disparities in terms of cardio vascular diseases in women occur are due to disproportionate distribution on health needs among geography, race, and ethnicity.
Health Disparity among another Population
Another health disparity is the diabetes disparities among ethnic and racial minorities. This health disparity claims that diabetes is higher in ethnic and racial minorities as to compare with white Americans (ahrq.gov). If we are to compare the diabetes disparity with other health disparities, it shows that it also occurs in a particular group of people. In this case, ethnic and racial groups are being affected. Based on the findings by AHRQ, diabetes appears to be greater in minority groups such as Mexican Americans that covers 10.6 percent of the total number of cases, American Indians that cover 9 percent. On the other hand, white American s only covers 6.2 percent of the total number of cases. Evidence suggests that the diabetes disparities occur due to the eating habits between groups. Both Mexican Americans and American Indians may have been eating food that directly affects their blood glucose counts.
Strategies for Health Disparity Improvements
The strategies that can be used in order to improve health disparities are participation in prevention efforts by individuals and families, conducting outreach programs in order to increase diversity healthcare, and the identification of groups that have greater risk. The participation of both the individuals and families in various community-led prevention programs can be integrated with the use of community resources such as literacy programs and libraries. This is to increase the population’s understanding about health information (National Prevention Council, 2010). Furthermore, the outreach programs can be integrated with preventive services to diverse groups such as mental health services, vision screening, as well as oral care (National Prevention Council, 2010). These services can be given to groups of people that have high health risk. On the other hand, using the existing data in order to identify populations at high risk can be integrated with community efforts to implement programs and policies, which will address the needs according to priority. In this case, the government effort will improve the collaboration, coordination and opportunities to engage both community members and leaders in prevention (National Prevention Council, 2010).
Conclusion
Nurse has important roles in order to eliminate the health disparities. As a healthcare professional, nurses are not bound to what they are asked to do. Their extra efforts greatly count when it comes to contributing against health disparity. As a nurse, he or she can participate in various efforts to close the gap between quality healthcare and affected populations or groups. Sharing essential information as to how we can improve our health is also another factor that can be contributed by a nurse. Relatively, helping in information dissemination regarding the benefits of practicing preventive behaviors may also contribute in closing the gaps in health disparities.
References
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. (2012). Focus on Healthcare Disparities.
Malarcher, A. M., Casper, M. L., Matson koffman, D. M., Brownstein, N., Croft, J., & Mensah, G. A. (2001). Women and Cardiovascular Disease: Addressing Disparities through Prevention Research and a National Comprehensive State-Based Program. Journal of Women's Health & Gender-Based Medicine, 10(8), 717-724.
National Prevention Council. (2014). Elimination of Health Disparities. National Prevention Strategy.
Tseng, T. (2008). Gender and Age Disparity in Health-Related Behaviors and Behavioral Patterns Based on a National Survey of Taiwan. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 15, 14-20. doi:10.1080/10705500701783819
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2001). Diabetes Disparities Among Racial and Ethnic Minorities (02-P007). Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ).
