Healthcare equity happens when every person gets an equal opportunity to obtain healthcare services regardless of their status in life, reaching a maximum level of healthcare (Raine et al., 2016). Despite of expected challenges, providing true healthcare equity is difficult, having disparities in access to healthcare services and outcomes determined by different aspects. In this essay, I will explore three crucial aspects of healthcare equity: the historical setting of healthcare inequality, the economic aspects that underlie healthcare differences, and the intersection of social identities and healthcare variation.
Historical Context of Healthcare Inequality
Through the historical perspective of healthcare inequity, we can see the general systemic barriers that have played a role in creating imbalances in healthcare fronts like patient access and health outcome levels (Raine et al., 2016). Even though, over time, local communities, such as race, socioeconomic status, and gender, have faced discrimination in hospitals and unequal treatment. For instance, discrimination acts with severe separation in healthcare facilities and unequal distribution of resources among minority populations contributed to healthcare inequalities. Considering society, history, and current policies, we can single out the cause of discrimination and support the strategies to address past inequalities in healthcare to reach equity.
Socioeconomic Determinants of Health
Socioeconomic factors have a great influence on healthcare disparity. Poor people are always subjected to greater delays in accessing proper healthcare facilities. The social determining factors comprising income, education, employment, and housing are lead factors into the inability of some people to finance healthcare services (Raine et al., 2016, par. 11). Hence, people with lower socioeconomic income face poor health status compared to their wealthier counterparts. Addressing these socio-economic factors of health disorders requires a comprehensive solution that would address underlying structural inequalities and promote the availability of resources and opportunities for all people. By identifying the role of socioeconomic factors in healthcare inequity, we can develop strategic interventions that will take care of current disparities and ensure health equity among all people.
Intersectionality and Healthcare Variation
The aspect of intersectionality in characteristics of those, like race, gender, or class, within the healthcare system, further makes the issue of healthcare equity complicated (Raine et al., 2016, par. 4). People who are marginalized for different reasons and members of many underprivileged groups may find it impossible to overcome the barriers they face while using healthcare services. This people might be facing other forms of discrimination within the healthcare environment. Say, for instance, that black women may be subject to such discrimination in accessing healthcare due to race and gender biases existing together. The healthcare system does not work the same way for everyone because it has a certain degree of implication for social class, race, and gender. This is why an intersectional approach to addressing healthcare inequality is crucial. Here, the equity needs of each marginalized group are also given the same consideration.
Conclusion
Healthcare equity is a complex topic that entails not only the more apparent historical, socioeconomic, and intersectional factors but also a deeper analysis of the correlating issues. Through investigating these many dimensions, we find out the reason for healthcare inequality and advocate for transformational policies and practices pushed towards fair healthcare provision for all people, regardless of their socioeconomic status or their conditions of life. The attainment of healthcare equity involves stakeholders’ joint efforts to focus on overcoming systemic obstacles, eliminating disparities, and ensuring the availability of such systems that are friendly and inclusive and give individuals equal opportunity.
Reference
Raine, R., Or, Z., Prady, S., & Bevan, G. (2016). Evaluating health-care equity – Challenges, solutions and future directions in the evaluation of service innovations in health care and public health – NCBI bookshelf. National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK361257/
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