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Let’s take a moment to talk about disparities in healthcare

Health care disparities are differences in health care between population groups. These disparities occur across many dimensions, such as race, ethnicity, skin tone, socioeconomic status, age, gender, ability, and sexual orientation. Disparities are often in health insurance coverage, access to care, and quality of care.                                                                  

https://www.commonwealthfund.org/chart/2019/percentage-uninsured-adults-ages-19-64-race-and-ethnicity

 Recent studies have shown that despite the improvements in the overall health of the country, underrepresented groups and individuals experience lower-quality care and mistreatment by medical professionals. These populations also face worsened health outcomes and increased rates of illness and mortality. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) performed an assessment on the differences in the kinds and quality of health care received by U.S. racial and ethnic minorities and nonminorities. One finding showed bias, stereotyping, prejudice and clinical uncertainty contribute to disparities.  Not only do people of color experience disparities as a whole, but there are also additional disparities related to skin color. In a 2017 study, researchers found light-skinned blacks had a lower mortality risk when compared with medium and dark brown skin individuals (Quincy et al, 2018). A 2018 study confirmed skin color also impacts determinants of health and health inequality (Hargrove, 2019).

A recent publication noted LGBTQ youth are at a higher risk for substance use, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), cancers, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, bullying, isolation, rejection, anxiety, depression, and suicide as compared to the general population. LGBTQ youth receive poor quality of care due to stigma, lack of healthcare providers’ awareness, and insensitivity to the unique needs of this community.          

Credit: Maureen McNabb, wordpress

Addressing disparities in health and health care is not only important from a social justice standpoint, but also for improving the health of all Americans by achieving improvements in overall quality of care and population health. Furthermore, health disparities are expensive. A recent study estimated that disparities amount to approximately $93 billion in excess medical care costs and $42 billion in lost productivity per year as well as economic losses due to premature deaths (Turner, 2018).

 Here are some great resources to learn more and become an advocate:

http://kirwaninstitute.osu.edu/

http://www.lookdifferent.org/

https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/patient-support-advocacy/reducing-disparities-health-care

  Hargrove, T. W. (2019). Light Privilege? Skin Tone Stratification in Health among African Americans. Sociology of Race and Ethnicity, 5(3), 370–387. https://doi.org/10.1177/2332649218793670

Turner A., (April 2018),The business case for racial equity, A strategy for growth. W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Altarum, retrieved from: https://altarum.org/publications/the-business-case-for-racial-equity-a-strategy-for-growth.

Thomas Stewart, Q., Cobb, R., Keith, V., (May 2018) The color of death: race, observed skin tone, and all-cause mortality in the United States, Ethnicity & Health, DOI: 10.1080/13557858.2018.1469735