In recent times, the subject of health disparities has attracted a lot of attention through the media report in both local and national level.in this essay, the health condition of African American will be discussed in this in the following areas as their health status, barriers to health, diverse population and disparities, and health promotion approach to improving this situation. Health Status: According to the 2014 National Health Interview Survey, 13.5% of all African Americans have less than average health (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2014a). Averagely, the African-American have higher prevalence of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension compared to the national ratio. Further study reveals that 48 …show more content…
There are four major barriers identified from the above status of the African American population and these are related to socio-economic status of this minority group as most of find healthcare extremely too expensive to obtain. Some of African American are immigrants with various language barriers and has difficulties in understanding the health care need or are scared to talk about their conditions with healthcare providers. Due cultural differences, lifestyles and beliefs acquired from their fore fathers, and are not willing to change from the old way of living to adopt a new healthy ones and lastly, health care workers also discriminate against African American patients and as such that most of them refuse to seek treatment for the ailment because experiences encounter in the past (American Nurses Association, …show more content…
This is so because there is a saying that “prevention is better than cure”. Primary prevention is the method of curbing the outbreak of diseases or injuries before they actually occur. This can be achieved by preventing exposure to hazardous diseases or injuries. This could also increase resistance to injuries or sickness even as one is exposed to it and staying away from unsafe and unhealthy conditions as these will help in keeping the African American community safe and free from getting sick and as such keep the little income they make in their pocket and not have to use for paying high healthcare cost. Reduce disabilities and not be faced with discriminatory violation the exist in the healthcare certain or the society as a whole (The Institute for Work & Health,
In the book Under the Skin by Linda Villarosa, Villarosa gives a lot of information on how she views the historical perspective of health disparities in the United States and throughout the present day. She argued that racism, not race, is the main cause of a health crisis in the Black community
For example, according to the racial-genetic model health disparities are explained in terms of the individual’s genetics. Hence, African American women are at higher risk for breast cancer. However, even though through primary prevention efforts such as breast cancer awareness campaigns and other forms of education, women living below the poverty line are still at high risk. Primary prevention is the best approach in order to increase quality of life and prolong life.
The reading states African-Americans and Hispanics tend to receive lower quality healthcare, more likely than Whites to receive less desirable treatments for their illnesses, and differences exist with disease prevention, clinical factors, clinical settings such as hospitals which can lead to an increase in mortality for minorities because they are not receiving the same quality of care as Whites (Smedley & Smedley). I find this information to be very unsettling. In the first assignment for this week, I stated one of my beliefs is all people have the right to access healthcare regardless of their ability to pay, and now I need to add to that statement “and regardless of
“This was the era of Jim Crow-when black people showed up at white-only hospitals, the staff was likely to send them away, even if it meant they might die in the parking lot” (Skloot, 2010, p.15). Henrietta was a colored woman and only Johns Hopkins Hospital would accept her admission and give her treatment. Many colored patients struggle through the same racial disparity and went to Hopkins because they do not have any other choice. Although segregation was legal and enforce during that time period, however, it is inhumane to accept or deny anyone from getting medical treatment base on their color of their skin. It is an unethical act for healthcare professionals to perpetuate the segregation ideology, which has limited the quality and the amount of care that Henrietta should have
“African Americans and Alzheimer ’s disease: Role of Health Educators in Addressing this Silent Epidemic,” written by Deborah A. Fortune, PhD, MCHES Rosalyn Lang, PhD, Sharon Cook, PhD, Goldie S. Byrd, PhD, Is an article that focuses on the role of the health educator in relation to the awareness and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. The Alzheimer’s disease epidemic, health disparities amongst African Americans, and how health education are the main points that the article covers. I chose this article because it depicts exactly what I want to do when I graduate. The article also provides valuable information about an epidemic that plagues the African American Community. We have been talking about health disparities in class, which has influenced me to choose this article.
In chapter thirteen, Hispanic/Latino health issues, Thomas A. LaVeist examine the health status of the Hispanic/Latino population. The Hispanic and Latino group is the largest nonwhite racial and ethnic group in the U.S. The Hispanics and Latinos have overall good health but can have some trouble when it comes to accessing good quality health care. A lot of Hispanics and Latinos are uninsured. With being uninsured, it’s hard to get the proper health care that is needed.
Increase Them. Health Affairs, 30, no.10 (2011):1837-1843. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2011.0617 The three possible interventions to address the potential negative consequences of general healthcare quality improvement programs on racial and ethnic healthcare disparities are: • Proposing A Disparities Impact Assessment: The disparities impact assessment is very
A small number of physical activity interventions have been targeted to African Americans. Participating in physical activity program is a preventive method that helps reduce the number of chronic diseases experienced by African American women. By increasing physical activity is essential for African Americans because of their high risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes (Banks-Wallace & Conn, 2002). Young & Stewart (2006) noted that constant physical activity can reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality from coronary heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes in African American women. The risk related to chronic illnesses in African American women can be modified through regular physical activity (Fleury & Lee, 2006).
Health care systems must create statements of policy which will help to eliminate racial injustice and develop culturally competent services. Clarification of racial equality is the basic key that legislation must apply to health policies and practices. Realistic and practical strategies are need to properly respond to the requirements of black minority ethnic communities. We will need to include more efficient programs to educate young adults and children what racial equality is, and how important it is in the health care field. There must be specific guidelines that hospitals must push for in every professional individual.
Living in underprivileged neighborhoods creates a lot of stress on community members that predispose them to contracting diseases. Epidemiologist, Ana Diez-Roux, states that people living in disadvantaged neighborhoods have a 50% to 80% increased risk of developing heart disease. An improvement of health policies is required to for disadvantaged neighborhoods to
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) “Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people of most ethnicities in the United States, including African Americans, Hispanics, and whites.(2)” Among these ethnicities, African Americans have the highest death rate. Why is it that African Americans are at the top of this list? Perhaps it is because of the social inequality experienced on the socioeconomic scale. Socioeconomic status can heavily influence the optimal health of the heart in an individual; resulting in cardiac injury.
Sims even documented that he operated on one woman 30 times without anesthesia. After he perfected his procedure, he later performed the procedure on White women with anesthesia. While this article gives an excellent history of why Black Americans do not trust healthcare in America, it does not answer the question “How can Black people improve healthcare for
Thus, premature death and preventable losses of quality of life are probable outcomes. Elderly individuals may be less frequently provided the best data-supported healthcare simply because they are old. Thus, bias or prejudice against the aged may be a significant cause. Furthermore, Africa-American have poorer access to care than Whites, for one-third of core measures. Asians and American Indian/Alaska Native had shoddier access to care than Whites for 1 of 5 core measures.
The lack of financial resources can be a big problem to access to health care. The lack of available finance is a barrier to health care for many Americans but access to health care is reduced most among minority populations. The irregular source of care is another reason why access to health is a disparity. Compared to white individuals ethnic or racial minorities are less likely to be able to visit the same doctor on a regular basis and tend to rely more on clinics and emergency rooms (News Medical Life Sciences). 5.
Obesity in THE BLACK COMMUNITY: A Serious Epidemic Obesity is a serious problem, affecting an estimated 300 million people worldwide. Its prevalence is increasing in developing countries throughout the world. More than one-third of adults were obese in 2011–2012.(1) Among non-hispanic black adults, however, 56.6% of women were obese compared with 37.1% of men. (1) The health risks associated with obesity make reducing the high prevalence of obesity a health priority.