Running head: HEALTH DISPARITIES 1

Health Disparities

Tonya Bright

Jacksonville State University

Dr. Barrow

NU 712 Clinical Prevention and Population Health

August 25, 2020

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Health disparity refers to the differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and

burden of disease existing in specific groups in the United States (Whitt-Glover et al., 2009;

Curley, 2020; Valdez et al., 2019). Disparities relate to the uneven distribution of social,

economic, physical, political, educational, and environmental factors (Nash, Fabius, Skoufalos,

& Oglesby, 2021; Curley, 2020). Health disparities are unjust, deplorable, and preventable

(Curley, 2020).

Socioeconomic status (SES) is a primary source of disparity in the school setting and is

the topic of discussion. Socioeconomic factors account for 80% of factors affecting health,

including income, employment, education, food insecurity, housing stability, safety, and health

behaviors (Nash et al., 2021; Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion [ODPHP],

2014; Lim et al., 2017). Poverty involves transportation, stress, childcare, literacy, education,

access to health care, and social isolation, which hinder health outcomes (Nash et al., 2021; Li et

al., 2015; ODPHP, 2014; Curley, 2020). Poor health conditions like asthma, obesity, diabetes,

cancer, infection, hypertension, heart disease, and chronic illness associate with poverty (Li et

al., 2015; Bjur et al., 2019). As of 2017, 28.5 million Americans remained uninsured (Nash et al.,

2021). Health equity not only addresses access but also addresses the obstacles vulnerable groups

face (Nash et al., 2021).

A teacher sends a girl to the school nurse who smells terrible, and other students refuse to

sit by her in class. The nurse discovers the student has an abscessed tooth and does not have the

money or insurance to go to the dentist. The nurse calls a local dentist who agrees to treat her

without cost the same day. Since only 20% of dental providers accept Medicaid, low-income

children are at higher risk for cavities (Simmer-Beck, Wellever, & Kelly, 2017). Simmer-Beck et

al. (2017) explain another barrier is the geographic distribution of dental providers. Poor oral
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health produces decreased concentration, self-esteem, and academic performance while

increasing school absenteeism (Simmer-Beck et al., 2017). Each year, students miss over 51

million hours of school due to dental problems (Simmer-Beck et al., 2017; Lim et al., 2017). The

disparities associated with SES make children vulnerable in many circumstances. Another

example is when the lack of health insurance or medication coverage obstructs the parent’s

ability to provide emergency medication for the school, like inhalers, glucagon, or epinephrine

injections. Children are vulnerable when their parent’s education and employment influence

every aspect of their daily lives.

One goal of Healthy People 2020 is to achieve health equity by eliminating disparities

and improving the health of all groups (Nash et al., 2021; ODPHP, 2014). This goal changes a

reactive perspective into a proactive stance. Among the 38 focus areas, three pertain to the

school setting: improving access to comprehensive, quality health care, improving access to

preventative dental care and services, and creating a social and physical environment to promote

good health (ODPHP, 2014). Although the school system has numerous programs in place,

disparities still exist, and it is the school nurse who navigates students and parents to available

options.
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References

Bjur, K., Wi, C., Ryu, E., Derauf, C., Crow, S., King, K., & Juhn, Y. (2019). Socioeconomic

status, race/ethnicity, and health disparities in children and adolescents in a mixed rural-

urban community—Olmsted County, Minnesota. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 94(1), 44–

53. Retrieved from https://doi-org.lib-proxy.jsu.edu/10.1016/j.mayocp.2018.06.030

Curley, A. (2020). Population-based nursing: Concepts and competencies for advanced practice.

(3rd ed.). New York: Springer Publishing.

Li, W., Buszkiewicz, J., Leibowitz, R., Gapinski, M., Nasuti, L., & Land, T. (2015). Declining

trends and widening disparities in overweight and obesity prevalence among

Massachusetts Public School Districts, 2009-2014. American Journal of Public Health,

105(10), e76–e82. Retrieved from https://doi-org.lib-

proxy.jsu.edu/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302807

Lim, E., Davis, J., Choi, S., & Chen, J. (2019). Effect of sociodemographics, health‐related

problems, and family structure on chronic absenteeism among children. Journal of

School Health, 89(4), 308–318. Retrieved from https://doi-org.lib-

proxy.jsu.edu/10.1111/josh.12736

Nash, D., Fabius, R., Skoufalos, A, & Oglesby, W. (2021). Population health: Creating a culture

of wellness. (3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.

Niederman, R., Huang, S., Trescher, A., & Listl, S. (2017). Getting the incentives right:

Improving oral health equity with universal school-based caries prevention. American

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proxy.jsu.edu/10.2105/AJPH.2016.303614
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Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (2014). Healthy People 2020: Topics and

objectives. Retrieved from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives

Simmer-Beck, M., Wellever, A., & Kelly, P. (2017). Using registered dental hygienists to

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Valdez, C., Rodgers, C., Gudiño, O., Isaac, P., Cort, N., Casas, M., & Butler, A. (2019).

Translating research to support practitioners in addressing disparities in child and

adolescent mental health and services in the United States. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic

Minority Psychology, 25(1), 126–135. Retrieved from https://doi-org.lib-

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Whitt-Glover, M., Taylor, W., Floyd, M., Yore, M., Yancey, A., & Matthews, C. (2009).

Disparities in physical activity and sedentary behaviors among US children and

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