Racial and Ethnic Health Care Disparities: Righting What’s Wrong

April is National Minority Health Month. It’s a time set aside to bring awareness to the health disparities and inequities that racial and ethnic minority communities face in the United States and an opportunity to highlight the importance of improving health in these communities. And that’s an absolutely vital pursuit, because disparities in health care don’t just impact health. They are indispensable to social justice, equity, and prosperity in our society.

Understanding these imbalances demands that we answer some important but complicated questions, so here are three of them that can shed some light on this critical issue.

Health inequity and health disparities are complex and intricately connected. So, what is the biggest difference between the two?

• Health disparities are preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence, or opportunities to achieve optimal health that are experienced by socially disadvantaged populations.
• Health inequity is the idea that opportunities for good health in underserved populations are achievable by eliminating systemic, avoidable, unfair, and unjust barriers. Health inequity affects people from disadvantaged or historically oppressed groups most severely. However, it has a negative impact on everyone.

While this blog will explore disparities and inequities at the racial and ethnic level, other factors can contribute to differences in care. They include gender, sexual orientation, age, disability status, socioeconomic status, and geographic location (living in a rural vs. urban area). For many, the health disparities and inequities they face can be a result of a mix of some or all the factors mentioned above, making it even harder to improve their health.

What are some examples of health disparities and inequities that minority groups in the United States face?

Health disparities and inequities can take many forms and stem from a variety of sources, but some of the most common ones include:

• Lower life expectancy
• Lower mental health status
  • Disparities and inequities, especially when you’re aware of them, can have a negative effect on mental health.
• Difficulty receiving proper healthcare
  • Bias, prejudice, and discrimination can cause diagnoses and treatments to be delayed. Doctors may have a hard time believing or taking certain groups seriously. If treatment is administered, differences in pain thresholds might not be considered by the healthcare provider.
• Preventable death
  • Preventable deaths can be a result of health disparities. There are numerous examples, but one of the most striking is the disparity in newborn health and mortality between Black and white babies born in the United States.

How can health disparities and inequities in minority communities be reduced?

From a healthcare/health system perspective, the most effective ways to reduce health disparities and inequities are:

• Making medications and vaccines affordable
• Offering flexible appointment times to accommodate people who work long or unusual hours
• Providing mobile health services for people in distant areas and for those who cannot easily travel
• Making interpreters, care workers, and anyone who can assist people in understanding and accessing medical treatment more available
• Educating healthcare professionals on disparities and inequities so that the care they provide to their patients isn’t affected
• Providing financial and social support to medical students and residents from diverse backgrounds.

There are also many societal changes that can assure better health outcomes among minority groups. Most revolve around access, and they include:

• Access to care and providing it in places that need it the most
• Access to green spaces like trails or parks
• Access to healthy foods in both grocery stores and restaurants
• Access to health education

Correcting health disparities and inequities among minority communities starts with awareness, and that’s what National Minority Health Month is all about. That’s why taking steps like these is so important and why it’s incumbent upon people from every background and every community to care about and invest in equitable health care for all.