Respond to at least two classmates who identified different areas of disparity than your own. Do you agree or disagree with their assessment of the impact of economic policy on the dis

Robert Discussion:

Healthcare disparities persist as significant challenges within the healthcare system, highlighting inequities in access, quality, and outcomes. 

1. Racial and Ethnic Disparities: Racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare remain prevalent and contribute to inequities in health outcomes. Current research indicates that minority populations experience disparities in access to care, quality of care, and health outcomes (CDC, 2022). Economic policies, such as reimbursement structures and funding allocation, have influenced these disparities. For example, disparities may arise due to limited access to insurance coverage, higher uninsured rates, and disproportionate reliance on safety-net providers (CDC, 2022). Additionally, historical and ongoing social determinants of health, such as socioeconomic factors, residential segregation, and systemic racism, contribute to these disparities.

Recommendation: Organizations should focus on implementing strategies to address racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare. This includes promoting culturally competent care, expanding health insurance coverage and access, and addressing social determinants of health. Collaborating with community organizations, implementing targeted outreach programs, and diversifying the healthcare workforce can help minimize the negative impact of economic policies on marginalized populations while delivering quality care.

2. Socioeconomic Disparities: Socioeconomic disparities play a significant role in healthcare outcomes, with individuals of lower socioeconomic status facing challenges in accessing and affording quality care. Research shows that individuals with lower incomes, limited education, and unstable employment are more likely to experience barriers to healthcare, leading to poorer health outcomes (CDC, 2022). Economic policies such as income inequality, lack of affordable housing, and limited access to education and employment opportunities contribute to these disparities.

Recommendation: Organizations should adopt a multifaceted approach to address socioeconomic disparities in healthcare. This includes implementing policies to expand access to affordable healthcare services, promoting health literacy and education, and collaborating with community organizations to provide social support services. Additionally, organizations can advocate for economic policies that reduce income inequality, improve access to education and employment, and enhance social safety nets. By addressing socioeconomic disparities, organizations can minimize the negative impact of economic policies and strive for equitable healthcare delivery.

Identifying and analyzing disparities in healthcare is crucial for promoting equity and addressing systemic challenges within the healthcare system. Racial and ethnic disparities and socioeconomic disparities represent key areas of concern that demand attention and action. Economic policies have played a significant role in perpetuating these disparities, but organizations can take proactive measures to mitigate their negative impact while delivering quality care. By implementing targeted strategies, promoting collaboration, and advocating for equitable economic policies, healthcare organizations can contribute to minimizing disparities and improving health outcomes for all individuals.

Robert

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). What is Health Equity?. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/whatis/index.html

Kayode Discussion:

Disparities in Healthcare

Inequalities in health, health care, and well-being among populations defined by socioeconomic status, race or ethnicity, or geographical location exist at the national level. Genetics, accessibility to care, poor quality of care, community characteristics (such as lack of access to healthy foods, destitution, insufficient personal assistance systems, and violence), surroundings (such as poor air quality), linguistic obstacles, and health behaviors all play a role in creating health inequalities. Conditions in people's homes, schools, workplaces, and communities are often cited as examples of social determinants of health. The circumstances and environments that adversely influence the quality of life and lead to greater levels of health disparities are often unfavorably experienced by communities of color, groups with fewer resources, rural communities, people with intellectual and physical disabilities, and individuals who identify as LGBTQ.

 Unintentional injuries, cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases all claim the lives of more rural Americans compared to their urban counterparts. The financial toll that these health inequalities exact on states and municipalities is substantial. A 2018 study by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Altarum found that health inequalities result in $42 billion annually in lost productivity and $93 billion in unnecessary medical expenditures. Disparities persist even controlling for factors including income, health insurance, and access to care. Disproportionately bad health outcomes elucidate inequalities by race and ethnicity regardless of other determinants, including infant mortality, life expectancy, and the incidence of chronic disease. For instance, compared to other races, Black people are more likely to be diagnosed with hypertension at a younger age. Stroke prevalence also seems to be higher in the Black and Hispanic communities (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2021).

Economic Policies Impacting Disparities

Analyzing and assessing the social determinants of health is crucial to developing tailored policies that can affect meaningful public health strategies for a community (Baciu et al., 2017). This is because policies on community health and intervention can have an immediate impact on SDOH. Many health inequalities in the United States may be ameliorated if economic policies were implemented that would have a significant impact on the health determinants of health for at-risk populations, particularly people of color. Americans are experiencing socioeconomic problems at the federal and state levels, and there are economic policies in place to address the fundamental social factors that influence the poorest of at-risk areas. Federal policies like the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Department of Housing work to reduce income inequality, while federal programs like Section 8 housing and the Choice Voucher program work to reduce housing inequality (Osypuk et al., 2014). Head Start and other federally sponsored programs work to decrease the achievement gap in early childhood education.

Recommendation

Given the complex nature of the relationships between the many factors that contribute to health inequalities, there is no silver bullet policy that might end the problem once and for all. The best approach, according to the experts, is to tackle the problem from several directions at once, with a focus on policy both inside and outside the health care sector. If state legislators are concerned about health inequalities, they can use the following approaches as a basis for crafting effective legislation. Care Access Barriers. Examine barriers to care, such as lack of insurance and health care system confusion. Eliminate impediments or test new forms of paying for and delivery care to reduce inequities. 

Consider Health Care Workforce Development Needs. Assess how the health care workforce's backgrounds and languages match the communities served. Help Collect Data Data-Driven Needs Analysis. Work with state public health, minority health, rural health, and Medicaid authorities to learn about state data gathering initiatives and needs. Consider how the state might promote data collecting on health care gaps, staffing shortages, and community inequities. Stakeholders and Cross-Sector Partnerships. Discuss state health disparities, present actions, and approaches to leverage efforts and financing with stakeholders. Involve charities, community- and religious organizations, schools, and other non-health sectors to promote innovative solutions. Consider Disparities Social Determinants of Health. Analyze outside social, economic, and surroundings that could influence state health and health inequalities. Consider education, income, and health inequities. The 2020 Oklahoma Department of Public Health Health Improvement Plan emphasizes how social elements of health affect health inequities (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2021).

References

Baciu, A., Negussie, Y., Geller, A., Weinstein, J. N., & National Academies of Sciences,

Engineering, and Medicine. (2017). The state of health disparities in the United States.

In Communities in action: pathways to health equity. National Academies Press (US).

National Conference of State Legislatures. (2021). Health Disparities Overview.

             National Conference of State Legislatures.

https://www.ncsl.org/health/health-disparities-overview#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20Americans%20living%20in,costs%20to%20states%20and%20communities.

Osypuk, T. L., Joshi, P., Geronimo, K., & Acevedo-Garcia, D. (2014). Do Social and Economic

Policies Influence Health? A Review. Current epidemiology reports, 1(3), 149–164.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40471-014-0013-5

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