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Minority Health Care

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Minority Health Care
Joseph A. Campbell
University of Phoenix

Minority Health Care Americans would prefer to believe that as a society there has been progress concerning equality among the sexes and races. Over the years there have been huge strides such as women gaining the right to vote, and the passage of the equal rights bill. Unfortunately, with all the good that has transpired over the years there are still parts of American society that are still heavily influenced by race; health care is one of those areas. “A large and growing body of research indicates that race/ethnicity continues to matter in the U.S. health care system. About 1 in 3 residents of the United States self-identify as either African Americans, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian/Pacific American, or Latino” (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2011, p1). The reality for many of these Americans is that when comparing their health indicators against the rest of the population (White Americans) the results are a higher rate of illnesses and deaths from health conditions such as stroke, heart diseases, diabetes, specific cancers, asthma, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, and hepatitis-b (Office of Minority Health, 2010). Many Americans have access to needed health care; however there are certain barriers that make it very hard for much of the population to receive the help they need. Lack of insurance and the inability to access health care providers are some of the barriers that face many Americans. Reducing these barriers is the first step in improving the quality of service to many minority groups. Organizations such as the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Office of Minority Health (OMH) work toward improving the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care. These organizations are making a difference by helping to make improvements in preventive care, chronic care, and access to care. These initiatives have led to the elimination of various disparities for some priority populations in areas such as mammograms, smoking cessation counseling, and disbursement of antibiotics (AHRQ, 2009). Despite these positive initiatives there are still larger disparities that have had no significant change; such as the disparity in new AIDS cases being higher for Blacks than Whites, Asians being more likely than Whites to not get care for illness or injury as soon as wanted, or American Indian and Alaska Native pregnant women not receiving prenatal care in the first trimester as compared to Whites. As a nation Americans must realize that minorities are still not receiving the necessary health care treatment as their white counterparts. The issues that create these barriers range from socio-economic, accessibility, and lack of insurance. For the tide to turn each person must hold not only him or herself accountable but also the political representatives he or she has voted into office. Many believe that the problem with health care is a “them” issue, when the truth of the matter is that it is an “us” issue.
References
About OMH. (2010). Retrieved from http://minorityhealth.hhs.gov
Disparity in health care quality among racial and ethnic minority groups. (2009). Retrieved from www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhqrdr08/nhqrdrminority08.pdf
The Kaiser Family Foundation, KaiserEDU.org. Minority Health: The Basics, January 2008. Retrieved from www.kaiseredu.org/Issue-Modules/Race-Ethnicity-and-Health-Care-The-Basics/Key-Data.aspx

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