Review: Increasing Awareness and Education on Health Disparities for Health Care Providers

Abstract

<p align="left">The focus of this review is to highlight health care disparities and trends in several common diseases in selected populations while offering evidence-based approaches to mitigating health care disparities. Health care disparities cross many barriers and affect multiple populations and diseases. Ethnic minorities, the elderly, and those of lower socioeconomic status (SES) are more at-risk than others. However, many low SES Whites and higher SES racial minorities have poorer health than their racial or SES<br />peers. Also, recent immigrant groups and Hispanics, in particular, maintain high health ratings. The so-called Hispanic Paradox provides an example of how culture and social background can be used to improve health outcomes. These groups have unique determinants of disparity that are based on a wide range of cultural and societal factors. Providing improved access to care and reducing the social determinants of disparity is crucial to improving public health. At the same time, for providers, increasing an understanding of the social determinants promotes better models of<br />individualized care to encourage more equitable care. These approaches include increasing provider education on disparities encountered by different populations, practicing active listening skills, and utilizing<br />a patient’s cultural background to promote healthy behaviors. <em>Ethn Dis.</em> 2016;26(2):181-190; doi:10.18865/ed.26.2.181</p>

Assessment of Knowledge of Critical Cardiovascular Risk Indicators among College Students: Does Stage of Education Matter?

“…One explanation for the wide 95% confidence intervals for the odds ratios reported in Table 3 is that the variability in the measures was large. Given that health disparities and health outcomes are significantly impacted by socioeconomic status [21]; there is a need to discuss its impact on the study findings. Hence, there might be concern that socioeconomic status (SES) of the two student groups might explain some of the findings.…”

Adjusting the Equity Lens: Gaps in Addressing Health Equity in State Chronic Disease Prevention

“…3 Because of the increasing awareness of the disparate burden of these diseases based on social and structural factors related to race, income, gender, sexual orientation, and living conditions, there is an emerging interest in addressing these health disparities through state-level prevention strategies. 4–6 Reducing health disparities and determinants of these disparities is the underlying principle of health equity, 7,8 which has become a significant focus within federal, state, and local public health agencies. 9–11 State chronic disease practitioners serve as a bridge between federal and local programs and are uniquely positioned to implement and evaluate the most effective strategies to address disease disparities of their state population.…”

Maternal Risk Factors Associated with Poor Postpartum Healthcare Utilization

“…Of the 23 women who did not have a recorded EPDS score in their medical record, nine included a clinician note indicating that the patient was in fact screened, two had a note indicating that the patient "declined" screening, four EPDS assessments were noted as incomplete secondary to a language barrier and one was noted incomplete due to "illiteracy." Awareness of health literacy disparities among low-SES and minority populations has been steadily increasing (Nesbitt and Palomarez, 2016). However, the relationship between low-SES and health service utilization is complex with factors that remain mostly undetermined or poorly understood (Muennig et al 2005).…”