...Healthcare Disparities amongst minorities Racial and ethnic minorities have a predisposition to obtain a lower quality of healthcare than those of non-minorities, even when access-related factors, such as a patients’ insurance status and income, are measured. The sources of these disparities are complex, and are rooted in historic and contemporary injustices, and includes numerous participants at several levels, including health systems, their administrative and bureaucratic processes, utilization managers, healthcare professionals, and patients. Research and studies have found indications that stereotyping, prejudices, and uncertainty on the behalf of healthcare providers can all contribute to unequal treatment. The situations in which many clinical encounters take place - written off as high time pressure, cognitive complexity, and pressures for cost containment, may perhaps increase the chance that these practices will consequently result in care poorly matched to minority patients’ needs. Minorities can experience a range of other barriers to accessing care, even when insured at the same level as Caucasians; which may include language barriers, geographical areas, and cultural familiarities. Furthermore, financial and institutional arrangements of health systems, as well as the legal, regulatory, and political atmosphere in which they function, may have unequal and negative effects on minorities’ capability to reach quality care. A widespread, multi-level...
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...LGBT Healthcare Disparity Theresa Sellers Southwestern Oklahoma University LGBT Healthcare Disparity INTRODUCTION There is an increasing progress being made in the equal right of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered) community. Fifteen of the states now recognize at least some of the same rights to same sex couples that are given to heterosexual couples (Krehley, 2009). Despite the progress that has been made, the LGBT population continues to experience worse health outcomes due to poor health insurance coverage, higher rates of stress due to discrimination and cultural incompetency (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health, 2012). Same sex marriage laws and domestic partnership benefits increase the burden of health care costs. A recent study of period in disparities in health insurance coverage of same-sex couples revealed that partnered gay men are less likely (42 percent) as married heterosexual men to get employer-sponsored dependent coverage, and partnered lesbians have an even slimmer chance (28 percent) of getting dependent coverage compared to married heterosexual women. As a result of these much lower rates of employer-provided coverage, partnered lesbians and gay men are more than twice as likely to be uninsured as married heterosexuals. The exclusion of insurance benefits for gay men and women and the failure of domestic partnership benefits to provide equal access to health coverage results into more health spending...
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...Community Assessment and Action Plan Mississippi is a beautiful state with so much history. Such as any state there are negatives and there are also certain health concerns that are specific to the area compared to other areas. Throughout this paper, I will review the demographics of the state as well as discuss one of the health concerns that prevail in the state of Mississippi. State Demographics For a little more than one hundred years, cotton was the undisputed king of Mississippi's economy. Over the last half-century, however, Mississippi has diversified its economy by balancing agricultural output with increased industrial activity. Mississippi’s economy continues to grow with the development of oil resources. Revenue from many industrial products has surpassed those from agriculture in recent years. In the Gulf coast area there is a profitable fishing and seafood processing industry, and gambling is prevalent along the Gulf Coast and in Tunica County. There are military air facilities in Columbus, Biloxi, and Meridian, as well as the Stennis Space Flight Center at Bay St. Louis. The state's per capita income, however, has been among the lowest in the nation for decades. Today, agriculture continues as a major segment of the state's economy. For almost four decades soybeans occupied the most, while cotton remained the largest cash crop. In 2001, however, more acres of cotton were planted than soybeans, and Mississippi jumped to second in the nation in cotton...
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...Global Health has evolved over time in response to inequities resulting from racial, ethnic, economic, and other disparities among the world’s population. The World Health Organization and other global health response organizations, as well as individual governments define and gather relevant statistics that can assess a nations overall health status as compared to that of other nations. In doing so, the comparisons identify countries with high levels of negative health outcomes, how well they are being addressed, and what social, political, and economic factors contribute to such health disparities. South Africa is a nation that has complex health care needs and shortcomings even though it is the second wealthiest nation in Africa. Similar to the United States, with a health care system favoring those of certain ethnicities and social status, many others are left with healthcare that is inaccessible and unaffordable. However, the divide in South America is unlike any other nation. 2011 census data shows the majority of South African’s are African, at 79.2% of the population, colored and white, which make up 8.9%, and Indian and Asian races make up the remaining population at 2.5%. ("South Africa's population," 2014) South Africa is a nation that is infamous for the Apartheid movement that is one of the greatest examples of racial segregation in history. Poverty and inequality created by racial and gender segregation were meant to dismantle the divided social structures...
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...Epidemiology: HIV Tomekia L. Dinham, RN Grand Canyon University Concepts in Community and Public Health NRS-427v Dr. A. Cline-Owens, RN, Ph.D. December 14, 2015 Epidemiology: HIV Epidemiology is the science of studying the history, causes and treatment of diseases and infections. Epidemiological information is used by nurses to identify high risk populations with preventable health conditions (Maurer & Smith, 2013). Human Immunodeficiency Virus, also referred to as HIV, is a preventable sexually transmitted disease that requires persistent monitoring by healthcare professionals. Community health nurses play a pivotal role in supporting efforts against HIV by understanding and exploring the epidemiology of HIV through collecting, reporting and analyzing data related to the determinants of health. Simply put, HIV is a virus that attacks a person’s immune system. It specifically affects CD4 cells which are also called T cells. These cells are what the body uses for an immune response. HIV destroys the T cells that fight infection leaving the patient susceptible to immune system compromise. This results in the patient being open to opportunistic infections that lead to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. AIDS, as it is commonly referred as, is a progression of HIV after the CD4 count falls to 200 or less (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). HIV is transmitted by bodily fluids such as blood, semen, breastmilk, and vaginal secretions. Anal sex carries...
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...Bibliography Bianca Meza, Huiling Jiang Judith Meisner, Sholanda Key NUR 440 April 15, 2013 Mrs. Mendez Annotated Bibliography AIDS.gov. (2012). How do you get HIV or AIDS? Retrieved from http://www.aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids-101/how-you-get-hiv-aids/index.html. This website is an excellent resource for information about HIV and AIDS. It gives basic information about HIV and AIDS, treatment options, community resources, and other valuable information that people can access. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). Basic information about HIV/AIDS. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/basic/index.html. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website is another excellent resource for disease conditions and their treatment. The information provided on HIV and AIDS is well written and very informational for the public and healthcare provider alike. The ease of use is important and appreciated. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011, December 2). Vital Signs: HIV prevention through care and treatment. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 60 (47),1618-1623. This comprehensive journal article reviews recent HIV testing and prevalence patterns among the U.S. population. The importance of the care continuum for HIV-positive patients is discussed; from prevention and testing, to diagnosis and treatment. Strategies for viral suppression among those infected are also reviewed. The article presents a...
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...Epidemiology HIV is an acronym that stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. The HIV virus attacks a carrier’s immune system making a simple cold detrimental to their health. It is spread though contact with an infected individual’s blood, semen, or vaginal fluid. The two most common ways that people contract HIV is though unprotected sex with a partner who knowingly or unknowingly has HIV, or through sharing needles with regards to drug use. The HIV virus works by attacking cells called CD4+ cells. These cells make up a large part of one’s immune system. When a certain number of CD4+ cells are destroyed, the human body is no longer able to fight off infections, regardless of how common. When the CD4+ cell amount becomes so little in quantity, the patient’s diagnosis usually changes from HIV to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). The amount of time it can take for those infected to progress to AIDS can take up to 12 years (aids.gov, 2014). With ObamaCare, the primary goals regarding HIV is aimed at: 1) reducing the number of people who become infected with HIV, 2) increasing access to care and optimizing health outcomes for people living with HIV, and 3) reducing HIV-related health disparities (aids.gov, 2014). By providing preventative care such as condoms, education on monogamy, free clinics for STD (sexually transmitted diseases) screening, the population will be at a lesser risk of contracting HIV. In 1995, 44 percent of the general public indicated that HIV/AIDS was the...
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...the US after 1991 Health Traditions: * South Sudanese relied on traditional health approaches to health and disease * They believe diseases are primarily caused by spirits who make one sick when angry and give health when they are pleased * Herbal medications are used to treat a variety of illnesses * South Sudanese also use scarification by using hot metal to burn the skin to treat underlying pain such as headaches or stomach problems and may often have scars on their faces and other body parts * Sharing medication is common among families Current Health Issues: * Tobacco usage * Consumption of alcoholic beverages * Women’s health * Children’s health * HIV / AIDS * Food and nutrition * Mental health and Family Relationship Disparities: * Inadequate vaccinations * Children are not in school, parents are not taking them to the doctor annually * Nutritional deficiencies * Most common being iron (leading to anemia) and vitamin D * Infectious diseases * Gastrointestinal disease, latent TB, parasites * Dental disease * Social and psychological problems, including PTSD, were most common in adults Reasons for...
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...away. This paper will examine the return of the disease and the demographic the disease attacks. First, let us learn a little bit about the history of the disease. Syphilis usually transmits sexually through small abrasions found within the mucosal membranes or through the layers of the skin. Syphilis enters the system and flows through the bloodstream to spread throughout the body. People carrying the lesions associated with the onset of syphilis usually transmit the disease (Ho, E. and Lukehart S., 2011). The chances that an exposed person may contract Syphilis is about 30% (Ho E. and Lukehart S., 2011). However the range may extend between 10% - 80%). Before the discovery of penicillin, the cure for syphilis did not exist. Patients with the disease suffered through the various stages of the disease until they died. One famous syphilis victim was the notorious gangster Al Capone. The discovery of penicillin changed the fatal outcome of the syphilis disease. However, one of the most egregious breaches of medical ethics occurred as part of syphilis research. The Tuskegee experiment represents that breach of medical ethics. The study of black men, from the Tuskegee area, infected with syphilis and studied without treatment provided America with the worst scandal in United States medicine. The study spanned approximately forty years. It happened...
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...Health Promotion Among Asian Americans Robert Ramirez Grand Canyon University: NRS-429V Family-Centered Health Promotion February 22, 2015 Health Promotion Among Asian Americans The U.S. Public Health Service defines health promotion as “the process of advocating health in order to enhance the probability that personal, private, and public support of positive health practices will become a societal norm” (Edelman, Mandle, & Kudzma, 2014). Health is a basic human right; optimal health is a well-balanced structure of emotional, physical, spiritual, psychological, intellectual, and social well-being. The purpose of health promotion in nursing is to increase health knowledge that will in turn positively influence health behaviors of individuals and communities (Foster, 2012). Roughly 36% of the U.S. population is made up of various ethnic or racial minorities. Of that 36%, 4.8% were Asian Americans. According to the Office of Management and Budget, “Asians” consist of people that originate from the Far East, Southeast Asia, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan Thailand, Vietnam, or the Philippine Islands (CDC, 2014). These 14.7 million people are dispersed throughout the country, with Hawaii having the largest concentration (57%) of the total Asian population (CDC, 2014). The CDC (2014) states that minority groups “experience a disproportionate burden of preventable disease, death, and disability compared with non-minorities.” This paper will concentrate...
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...Health Disparity as a Public Health Initiative A Public Health Initiative involves all the activities whose establishment points towards improving the present and forthcoming defines in the health sector. The significant aim of PHI encompasses from the provision of essentials that assists given countries to adhere to the practice of healthy policies. In the long run, it will in turn lead to the creation of various opportunities including research and training of health workers. One of the health initiatives involves the Health Disparity. There exists a broad discrimination in the event in which various patients receive health services. It, therefore, puts health disparity as one of the public health initiatives. In this regard, this paper discusses more health inequality and its relevance to the health sector (Barr, 2014). Health disparity is a standard issue in the present world. It is a matter that arises due to the distinctiveness in the ethnic background, the color difference of individuals and the even difference in the language spoken. However, in the event of finding a solution to the given disparity, there exist certain principles of economics for evaluating and assessing the need for health inequality. The first principle advocates for the equal treatment of everybody in need of medical attention. It is a principle whose aims majors in equity (Bayer, 2012). Regardless of an individual’s ethnic background, each and every person dwelling in the planet earth deserves...
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...evolution of barriers to enter and exit the industry for prescription pharmaceuticals, while aiming to help students to recognise how to set boundaries for an industry. This is a detailed industry note on the “ethical” pharmaceutical industry which provides an opportunity to analyse key success factors of major players. The note centres on a descriptive overview of the predominant issues in the three major Triad market areas: the US, Europe and Japan (although major issues in emerging markets are also mentioned). The note covers the overall industry environment with in-depth discussion of the driving forces in the industry such as globalisation (in particular global regulatory issues, changing world demographics and worldwide pricing disparities); development of new technology; the importance of time to market; and amalgamations. The case also examines issues around corporate social responsibility. 2. Position of the Case The pharmaceutical industry case study lends itself to: • assessing an organisation’s competitive environment, using the following analysis frameworks: – PESTEL, – Porter’s five forces, – Scenario planning; • • • discussing issues around co-operation and alliance; establishing the role of critical (winner) products for big drug companies; assessing the role of ethics in corporate strategy; and 187 © Pearson Education...
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... (Betancourt, Carrillo, Green, & Maina, 2004, p. 16) The term Latino refers to a very broad group with distinct nationalities, religions, degrees of naturalization and socioeconomic status. This ethnic group includes any person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. According to the 2012 U.S. Census Bureau population estimate, there are almost 53 million Hispanics living in the United States. This group represents 16.9 percent of the U.S. total population. Another significant point is that in 2012, 33.2 percent of Hispanics were under the age 18 in comparison to 19.7 percent of non-Hispanic Whites. ("Hispanic/Latino Profile," 2015, para. 1) The health disparities faced by many Latino’s are a result of a number of complex interrelated factors: Insurance, Language Fluency, and Educational Level. Latinos have the highest uninsured rates of any racial or ethnic group within the United States. One quarter of the nation’s 44 million uninsured are Latinos. Of these 44 million, 9 million have at least one family member who is employed. (Betancourt et al., 2004, p. 17) In the past five years, Medi-Cal has changed their criteria for application and approval process. The county’s insurance ACE has also followed suit and imposed less rigid criteria in order to qualify for coverage. The undocumented migrant Latino population, in years prior, was severely affected by the inability to qualify for insurance...
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...Access of Care Assignment 1) What is access of care? Access to care is health care services that provide people with the best heath results. Health care equality for coverage, services and being timely for care needed. Obtaining health care has three compnents, first is gaining access, next is places where people can go to obtain the services they need and lastly is finding providers that they can establish a relationship with (Access to Health Services, 2015). Finding a provider that the patient will return to for further appointments is needed for quality care. The extent to which a population gains access also depends on financial, organisational and social or cultural barriers that limit the utilisation of services (Gulliford, et al., 2007). 2) How does service availability affect access of care? Availability for access of care determines what resources are available. This can include how many health care facilities are accessable, hours of operation, and how long it will take to connect you with the specialty you need. Also the technologies may differ due to location. Two of the components defining effective coverage do actually have a geographic dimension: availability and accessibility coverage (Modeling Physical Accessibility to Health Care and Geographic Coverage, 2015). 3) How do affordability, physical accessibility (delivery), and acceptability (quality) of services affect access of care? Accessibility: Health facilities, goods and services...
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...| Pharmaceutical companies | Research Paper | | Daren Smith | 5/21/2012 | | Abstract There is a lot of discussion about pharmaceutical companies, intellectual property, and the global AIDS epidemic. Do pharmaceutical companies have a responsibility to distribute drugs for free or low cost in developing countries? Why is intellectual property such a big deal? What impact would South Africa’s decision to levy duties on drugs in the country have on the international distribution of drugs? Was the change that provided patent protection for pharmaceutical companies an appropriate change or a dangerous precedent? Was it necessary to relax intellectual property rules in order to ensure that adequate supplies of AIDs medications would be available for distribution in the developing world? What role to multi-national corporations have in providing funding or other assistance to international organizations such as the Global Fund? All these questions have many arguments for and against but the right answers probably lie somewhere in between. Having and providing access to affordable medication is one of the greatest challenges we face in today’s world. Many people see that pharmaceutical companies are irresponsible. The evidence is in the high prices individuals have to pay for medications. Although I don’t care for higher priced medications I do believe in the right for a business, or individual, to make money. To come up with medications it takes...
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