Overview of Healthcare Disparities
Disparities have been a concern in healthcare for quite some time, as they are influenced by historical, social, and structural factors that result in unequal health outcomes and treatment for different communities. While there are numerous definitions of “healthcare disparities,” Ndugga and Artiga (2023), define them as “differences in healthcare and health across people’s groups resulting from larger inequities.” At the same time, CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) defines these disparities as avoidable differences in violence, injury opportunities, diseases, and burden due to achieving optimal health experiences across marginalized and socially disadvantaged ethnicities, races, and other communities. As a result, discrepancies in healthcare are frequently dependent on geographic location, handicap status, age, ethnicity, race, gender, and financial status.
Ethical concerns, academic pursuit, and seeking equity and social justice are some of the motivators that have developed my interest in the healthcare disparity topic. Access to quality healthcare is a critical human right, and the existence of disparities challenges this notion and infringes the ethical considerations prompting them to seek ways to ensure equal healthcare opportunities for all. Also, it is critical to uphold equity and social justice across all aspects of society, including healthcare; healthcare disparities disproportionately impact vulnerable and marginalized communities. Therefore, to address the issue of healthcare disparities, this paper presents an annotated bibliography of four scholarly peer-reviewed articles from the google scholar database.
Andraska, E. A., Alabi, O., Dorsey, C., Erben, Y., Velazquez, G., Franco-Mesa, C., & Sachdev, U. (2021). Healthcare disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Science Direct (Vol. 34, Issues 3, pp. 82-88). https://doi.org/10.1053/j.semvascsurg.2021.08.002
Andraska et al. (2021) examine the healthcare disparities that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. They focus on the crisis’s effect on vulnerable and marginalized groups, for example, racial and ethnic minorities and low-income individuals with pre-existing health problems. The study sheds light on the unequal distribution of healthcare resources and the resulting discrepancies in COVID-19 results through a comprehensive evaluation of current literature and data analysis. The authors give a brief and clear outline of the present status of healthcare discrepancies, detailing the elements that add to unequal access to healthcare services and clinical treatments during the Covid-19 era. The study, published in Science Direct as a scientific publication, is based on reliable sources and employs a strong technique in examining accessible data. However, the study’s reliance on existing data may only partially represent the complexities of healthcare inequities throughout the fast-shifting pandemic. Future studies could benefit from adding qualitative methodologies and real-time data collection to grasp the difficulties.
Lee, L., Whitley, K. S., Puckrein, G., & Banks, S. (2019). Reducing Health Care Disparities in Sickle Cell Disease: A Review. In Public Health Reports (Vol. 134, Issues 6, pp. 599-607). https://doi.org/10.1177/0033354919881438
In this analysis published in Public Health Reports, Lee et al. (2019) analyze healthcare disparities in Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) and examine potential ways for eliminating these variations. Before delving into the variables that lead to medical care differences in this specific situation, the authors feature the disproportionate burden of SCD on minority populations, especially African Americans. The study gives a well-structured assessment of fundamental barriers that add to discrepancies in medical services access and quality for individuals with SCD. These barriers include inadequate provider knowledge and training regarding SCD, limited access to specialized care centers, and systemic racism within the healthcare system. Drawing attention to these issues, the article sheds light on the complexities of addressing disparities in SCD management and treatment. One of the key strengths of this review lies in its emphasis on potential solutions to mitigate healthcare disparities in SCD. The authors propose proof-based intercessions, for example, carrying out socially competent care models and laying out patients-centered clinical homes. These suggestions could further develop well-being results for SCD patients and dispose of existing disparities in care.
Morales, D. A., Barksdale, C. L., & Beckel-Mitchener, A. C. (2020). A Call to Action to address rural mental health disparities. In Journal of Clinical and Transitional Science (Vol. 4, Issues 5, pp. 463-467). https://doi.org/10.1017/cts.2020.42
Morales et al. (2020) address the critical topic of rural mental disparities, advocate actions to address these disparities and provide choices to enhance rural mental healthcare. The examination was published in the Journal of Clinical and Transitional Science, and it offers a logical and evidence-based perspective concerning the subject. Morales et al. (2020) address the issues that individuals in rural, for example, restricted access to medical care, lack of the necessary skills and experts, the stigma that accompanies finding support, and insufficient cash for mental healthcare services. They take insights at the studies that have proactively been finished on mental health disparities and stress that it is so critical to utilize targeted interventions to decrease the impacts of these disparities. “A Call to Action to Address Rural Mental Health Disparities” adds significantly to the body of knowledge on healthcare disparities. Its in-depth research and practical solutions make it an indispensable resource for anybody attempting to comprehend, advocate for, or alleviate mental health inequities in rural communities. The publication of the work in the Journal of Clinical and Transitional Science provides legitimacy to its findings, making it a significant resource for healthcare and mental health academics, policymakers, and practitioners.
Yip, K., & Navarro-Millan, I. (2021). Racial, Ethnic, and Healthcare Disparities in Rheumatoid Arthritis. In National Library of Medicine (Vol. 33, Issues 2, pp. 117-117). https://doi.org/10.1097/BOR.0000000000000782
Yip and Navarro-Millan (2021) explore what racial and ethnic variations in healthcare are impacted by rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The study looks at how RA is managed, frequently occurs, and how serious it is in different locales utilizing information from the Public Library of Medicine. The authors inspect expected supporters of these disparities, including financial position, access to healthcare services, social standards, and prejudice from the healthcare experts. The study stresses how crucial it is to deal with and lessen healthcare discrepancies to ensure fair patient health outcomes. The authors urge for improved policies, interventions, and patient-centered care approaches to alleviate the effects of healthcare disparities on varied groups affected by RA by shedding light on current inequities. This study contributes to a better understanding of healthcare inequities and the need to implement targeted interventions to achieve health equity in rheumatoid arthritis management.
Potential Interventions
Over the decades, health inequality has proved to be among the leading challenges across the healthcare field. Therefore, the challenge must be tackled using appropriate social and health policies involving all the stakeholders. According to CDCP (2022), potential intervention approaches include utilizing federal goals, community health improvement plans, Triple Aim’ for populations, and patient advocacy efforts (CDCP, 2022).
Federal Goals
Goals are powerful but simple ways of motivating communities and people’s priorities. Therefore, Federal goals and intervention approaches can be crucial in eliminating health disparities by coordinating efforts across different levels of government and various sectors. Federal agencies ought to collaborate to distinguish healthcare discrepancies that should be tended to, like differences in accessing medical care, illness prevalence, or health results among various racial groups, and lay out measures to resolve the issue. These aims should be distinct and time-bound to act as an establishment for activity.
Community Health Improvement Plans
CHIP are collaborative, action-oriented plans that bring together multiple stakeholders, such as community members, healthcare professionals, local governments, and other organizations, to address health challenges and improve health outcomes in a specific community (CDCP, 2022). These plans can be useful in identifying and reducing health inequities. Community people and stakeholders must be included in the planning and decision-making process for the success of CHIPs. This approach ensures that the interventions produced are culturally appropriate, relevant, and directly meet the needs of those affected by health inequalities. Community feedback can assist in influencing the plan’s priorities and strategies.
“Triple Aims” for populations
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) created the “Triple Aim” concept to help healthcare companies enhance health system performance. The three goals are to improve the patient care experience, increase the population’s health, and reduce per capita healthcare expenses (Norman, 2020). Healthcare organizations and communities can work cooperatively to eradicate health disparities, promote health equity, and improve general population health and well-being by including the “Triple Aim” framework, specifically focusing on populations and health inequalities.
Patient Advocacy Efforts
Patient advocacy intervention techniques are critical in eradicating health disparities because they empower and enable patients, particularly those from poor or marginalized communities, to navigate the healthcare system, get appropriate care, and advocate for their rights (Heath, 2017). To that end, patient advocates can identify and remove hurdles to healthcare access for disadvantaged people, such as financial barriers, transportation challenges, language barriers, a lack of health insurance, and inadequate healthcare facilities in neglected areas. The efforts of advocates ensure patients’ access to healthcare services.
Conclusion
From the above discussed, it is evident that healthcare disparities are complex issues influenced by historical, social, and structural factors, resulting in unequal health outcomes and treatments for different communities. The research has highlighted the significance of access to quality healthcare as a fundamental human right, prompting the need to seek ways to ensure equal healthcare opportunities for all and uphold equity and social justice. The development of the annotated bibliography has stressed the need for targeted interventions, evidence-based solutions, and patient-centered care models that emerged as essential to mitigate these discrepancies. Furthermore, the research recognized the importance of considering qualitative methodologies and real-time data to understand evolving healthcare disparities comprehensively. Developing this annotated bibliography has deepened the understanding of healthcare disparities across diverse fields, their underlying factors, and the urgency to address them with comprehensive and equitable solutions.
References
Andraska, E. A., Alabi, O., Dorsey, C., Erben, Y., Velazquez, G., Franco-Mesa, C., & Sachdev, U. (2021). Healthcare disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Science Direct (Vol. 34, Issues 3, pp. 82-88). https://doi.org/10.1053/j.semvascsurg.2021.08.002
Morales, D. A., Barksdale, C. L., & Beckel-Mitchener, A. C. (2020). A Call to Action to address rural mental health disparities. In Journal of Clinical and Transitional Science (Vol. 4, Issues 5, pp. 463-467). https://doi.org/10.1017/cts.2020.42
Morales, D. A., Barksdale, C. L., & Beckel-Mitchener, A. C. (2020). A Call to Action to address rural mental health disparities. In Journal of Clinical and Transitional Science (Vol. 4, Issues 5, pp. 463-467). https://doi.org/10.1017/cts.2020.42
Ndugga, N., & Artiga, S. (2021, April 21). Disparities in Health and Health Care: 5 Key Questions and Answers. Racial, Equity and Health Policies. https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/disparities-in-health-and-health-care-5-key-question-and-answers/
Yip, K., & Navarro-Millan, I. (2021). Racial, Ethnic, and Healthcare Disparities in Rheumatoid Arthritis. In National Library of Medicine (Vol. 33, Issues 2, pp. 117-117). https://doi.org/10.1097/BOR.0000000000000782
Norman, A. (2020, March 1). What you should know about health care’s triple aim. Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/triple-aim-4174961#:~:text=The%20Triple%20Aim’s%20three%20areas,the%20health%20of%20populations%20overall
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, November 25). CDC – Assessment and plans – community health assessment – STLT gateway. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/publichealthgateway/cha/plan.html
Heath, S. (2017, January 31). Effective patient advocacy starts with strong relationships. PatientEngagementHIT. https://patientengagementhit.com/news/effective-patient-advocacy-starts-with-strong-relationships
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