1

Health Disparities and Health Education

Student’s Name

Institution

Coursework

Instructor

Date
 2

Health Disparities and Health Education

Systemic and unfair variations in health outcomes and access to healthcare services

among distinct demographic groups are major healthcare issues. These social, economic, and

environmental differences cause inconsistent illness burdens, lower life expectancies, and limited

access to vital medical resources for particular communities. Health disparities are systematic

and unequal variations in health outcomes or accessible healthcare services among demographic

groups. Many social, economic, and environmental variables contribute to these differences,

which in turn cause certain communities to bear a greater proportion of the illness burden, have

lower life expectancy, or have less access to vital medical services. Health disparities highlight

the need to address and correct imbalances that cause health disparities in various

populations. Beyond morality, unresolved disparities can strain healthcare resources, raise prices,

and weaken society. Healthcare systems may improve public health, stabilize vulnerable

communities, and create a more inclusive and healthy society where everyone can reach their full

health potential by minimizing these inequities. In addition to enhancing people's health, health

equality fortifies communities and the public health system.

Causes of Health Disparities

Socioeconomic Factors

Socioeconomic variables often cause disparities in healthcare access and outcomes.

Healthcare affordability is heavily influenced by income disparity. According to Đoàn et al.

(2021), people with low incomes may have challenges in accessing timely medical treatment,

affording necessary medications, and engaging in preventive health measures. Thus, economic

disparity increases chronic illnesses, lowers life expectancy, and worsens health for lower

socioeconomic groups.
 3

Furthermore, there is a correlation between health disparities and opportunities for

employment. Job stability impacts pay, health insurance, and wellness initiatives (Sorensen et al.,

2021). Health insurance may be more difficult to get for those with fewer employment

possibilities, which might lead them to delay or even forego critical medical operations.

Uncertainty and stress brought on by job insecurity may worsen negative health impacts

(Chirumbolo et al., 2021). As a result, reducing health inequities requires acknowledging and

tackling the complex link between socioeconomic variables and health.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities

Racial and ethnic differences highlight structural issues that disproportionately affect

vulnerable communities. Racial bias in healthcare systems leads to race-based treatment. This

bias can lead to misdiagnosis, delayed care, or poor medical care for certain racial or ethnic

groups (Miller-Kleinhenz et al., 2021). Such bias affects health outcomes and minority morbidity

and mortality beyond the healthcare visit. Eliminating biases, promoting cultural competence,

and fostering inclusivity in healthcare systems is necessary to ensure that all patients receive

equitable and high-quality care. These inequalities affect minority healthcare quality and increase

mortality and morbidity.

Healthcare cultural competence is another important factor in health disparities.

Healthcare systems need cultural competency to satisfy the needs and respect the beliefs of

individuals of different races and ethnicities. Care for patients could suffer when physicians and

patients lose faith in one another. According to Stubbe (2020), culturally competent healthcare

promotes diversity in culture and emphasizes knowing and respecting different cultures.

Healthcare systems must remove prejudice and discrimination to address racism and ethnicity-

related healthcare issues. This can be achieved by providing healthcare staff with extensive
 4

cultural competency training, promoting diversity, and actively addressing hidden prejudices

(Brottman et al., 2020). Inclusivity requires laws that provide equal healthcare access for

everybody, regardless of race or ethnicity. Cultural competence in healthcare can improve

patient-provider interactions, communication, and health disparities among various communities

(Flynn et al., 2020). Eliminating racism and encouraging inclusivity emphasizes healthcare

institutions' ethical duty to provide accessible, culturally sensitive treatment, creating a more

equal and effective healthcare environment for all.

Access to Healthcare

Healthcare access disparities affect health outcomes and inequalities. Geographic

constraints are important for rural and impoverished urban residents who struggle to access

healthcare. These places have few transportation alternatives, extensive distances to medical

providers, and few healthcare facilities, which might delay or prevent medical care, worsening

health inequities (Statz & Evers, 2020).

The availability of healthcare facilities also determines access to care. Appointment wait

times and access to required treatments may be better in locations with a need for healthcare

practitioners or medical facilities. Increasing health insurance coverage, infrastructure, and

geographic access are key to healthcare equity. Investment in robust healthcare infrastructure

includes expanding and renovating medical facilities, assuring enough providers, and using

sophisticated technologies. Health insurance coverage must be improved to reduce financial

obstacles and provide medical treatments to varied socioeconomic groups (Wang et al., 2020).

Telemedicine, mobile clinics, and community health centers are needed to reach underserved and

remote locations. Actively addressing these components can help healthcare systems eliminate

gaps and create an inclusive and accessible environment where everyone, regardless of location
 5

or socioeconomic level, can obtain timely and quality care. These comprehensive efforts help

develop a healthcare system that serves all populations, fostering health equity.

Impact of Health Disparities on Outcomes

Higher Morbidity and Mortality Rates

Health inequalities significantly affect morbidity and death rates, disproportionately

impacting some communities. Chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and lung disease are

disproportionately affected by health inequality. According to Lutchmun et al. (2022), people

who face prejudice, healthcare hurdles, or socioeconomic issues are more likely to develop

chronic diseases. Discrimination and prejudice can cause stress and harm mental and physical

health, and limited healthcare access hinders chronic disease prevention and management.

Income disparity and unemployment make it harder for people to afford medical care and

preventive health measures, increasing their risk of chronic health conditions (Singu et al., 2020).

Health inequalities and equity require diverse interventions that address socioeconomic

determinants and healthcare accessibility to ensure that all people have equal access to optimal

health outcomes. After diagnosis, many patients may struggle to receive regular medical care,

leading to complications and early death.

Inequalities in the incidence and impact of infectious diseases exist across demographic

groupings. Contagious infections are more common in disadvantaged populations due to a lack

of education, healthcare services, and immunizations. In addition, socioeconomic variables,

including congested living situations and poor hygiene, can spread infectious illnesses. Infectious

disease inequalities manifest as differences in morbidity rates, disease severity, and availability

of effective therapies.

Reduced Preventive Care and Early Detection

 6

Health disparities drastically diminish preventative treatment and delay illness

identification, resulting in poor health outcomes for disadvantaged people. Financial hardship,

poor health education, and geographical limits may reduce cancer, diabetes, and hypertension

screenings (Zheng et al., 2020). Without frequent tests, problems may go undiagnosed until they

are advanced, making treatment more difficult, ineffective, and expensive. Additionally, delayed

medical interventions worsen the effects of health inequalities. Limited healthcare access may

delay medical treatment and deteriorate health issues (Gonzalez et al., 2021). For illnesses that

need quick diagnosis and treatment, this lag in action might raise death and morbidity rates.

Delays in interventions increase the total strain on healthcare institutions and resources, which

has social ramifications in addition to individual ones. Improving access to health education,

preventative care, and timely medical treatment for all people, regardless of socioeconomic

background, is necessary to address health inequities.

Supreme Court’s Ruling Against Affirmative Action

The ruling and its Implications

The Supreme Court's affirmative action ban raises diversity concerns. Affirmative action

has corrected historical injustices and diversified nursing education, diversifying the healthcare

workforce (Taylor et al., 2022). The restriction on these measures may threaten minority nurse

representation. Diversity is crucial to tackling health inequities. Thus, nursing groups underline

the necessity for diverse nursing staff to improve communication, trust, understanding, and

health outcomes. Ending affirmative action is more than a legal issue; it might hinder the

creation of a healthcare system that meets the different requirements of the people. These

organizations prioritize inclusive nursing education and practice and push for equitable
 7

educational opportunities. Minority representation in nursing and its influence on healthcare

delivery and health inequities are concerns.

Nursing Organizations’ Concerns

Diversity in nursing eliminates health disparities by providing culturally appropriate care.

Affirmative action helps nursing schools attract and support diverse students, reflecting the

variety of their populations. Intentional diversity exposes future healthcare professionals to many

ideas and cultures, creating a more inclusive learning environment. Thus, diverse nursing staff

can better comprehend, engage with, and satisfy the unique healthcare demands of a diverse

patient group, improving health outcomes and addressing health inequalities (Wakefield et al.,

2021). Affirmative action programs help minority students in healthcare and nursing schools.

Relaxing these requirements may hurt underrepresented nursing school groups. Nurse advocacy

groups claim that affirmative action is necessary to recruit and retain a more diverse workforce

by combating health inequities and providing equitable treatment. These groups advocate for

nurse diversity and equal education to create a healthcare workforce that can better serve

patients.

Evidence of the Impact of Nursing Diversity on Client Outcomes

According to Young and Guo (2020), nurse diversity affects trust, cultural competency,

and patient satisfaction. Nurses must know and meet patients' needs to make them feel safe.

When their care team is diversified, patients of varied cultural backgrounds are more satisfied

and trusting of their doctors. The healthcare team's alignment with patients creates a sense of

inclusivity and trust (Wei, 2022). Care team representation shows cultural competence and

reduces communication barriers since patients feel more understood and respected when

interacting with healthcare workers from comparable cultural backgrounds. Diversity in the
 8

healthcare workforce improves patient satisfaction, emphasizing the need for inclusivity to

improve healthcare results for people of different cultures.

Additionally, nurse diversity increases healthcare communication. According to Kwame

and Petrucka (2021), effective communication is essential for patient-centered care and good

health. Effective communication in healthcare requires sharing medical facts and building trust

with patients. Patients comprehend their diagnosis, treatment plans, and preventive actions via

clear and sympathetic communication. It encourages patient-led health decisions. Effective

communication also helps healthcare providers understand patients' problems, attitudes, and

preferences, promoting collaborative, patient-centered treatment. Communication quality is

crucial to trust, patient satisfaction, and health outcomes.

Addressing Health Disparities in Nursing

Health disparities require a systematic approach that emphasizes diversity. Diverse

nursing programs help create a healthcare staff that reflects the communities they serve.

Affirmative action laws, scholarships, and mentorship programs for minorities help achieve this

goal. These efforts remove barriers to entrance and actively promote underrepresented groups to

become nurses. Another important technique to reduce health inequalities is to provide

healthcare providers with cultural competency training. Nursing schools should include this

course in their curricula and offer it to working nurses as continuing education. Cultural

competency training helps nurses address cultural differences, comprehend multiple health

views, and interact with diverse patients. Community-based programs address health disparities

in nursing education and practice. These approaches involve healthcare, community, and

educational institutions working together to improve community health. Social determinants of

 9

health and other population concerns are introduced to nursing students through community-

based learning.

In conclusion, health disparities must be addressed for fair, just, and accessible healthcare

for all demographics. Socioeconomic difficulties, racial and cultural diversity, and access

barriers produce health disparities and need comprehensive solutions. The Supreme Court's ban

on affirmative action in nursing schools raises concerns about diversifying the nursing profession

to decrease health disparities. Consistent evidence shows that diverse nursing staff improves

client outcomes, which highlights the significance of inclusion, cultural competency, and clear

communication in healthcare. Diversity in nursing education, cultural competence training, and

community-based interventions are crucial to reducing health inequalities and creating a

healthcare staff that can fulfill population requirements. These techniques can help healthcare

systems improve health equality and public health.

 10

References

Brottman, M. R., Char, D. M., Hattori, R. A., Heeb, R., & Taff, S. D. (2020). Toward cultural

competency in health care: a scoping review of the diversity and inclusion education

literature. Academic Medicine, 95(5), 803-813.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Robin-Hattori/publication/336049059_Toward_Cult

ural_Competency_in_Health_Care_A_Scoping_Review_of_the_Diversity_and_Inclusion

_Education_Literature/links/61f2e23ac5e3103375c4e40a/Toward-Cultural-Competency-

in-Health-Care-A-Scoping-Review-of-the-Diversity-and-Inclusion-Education-

Literature.pdf

Chirumbolo, A., Callea, A., & Urbini, F. (2021). The effect of job insecurity and life uncertainty

on everyday consumptions and broader life projects during COVID-19

pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(10),

5363. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/10/5363/pdf

Đoàn, L. N., Chong, S. K., Misra, S., Kwon, S. C., & Yi, S. S. (2021). Immigrant communities

and COVID-19: strengthening the public health response. American Journal of public

health, 111(S3), S224-S231.

https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/pdf/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306433

Flynn, P. M., Betancourt, H., Emerson, N. D., Nunez, E. I., & Nance, C. M. (2020). Health

professional cultural competence reduces the psychological and behavioral impact of

negative healthcare encounters. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority

Psychology, 26(3), 271.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Patricia-Flynn-4/publication/

337092439_Health_professional_cultural_competence_reduces_the_psychological_and_
 11

behavioral_impact_of_negative_healthcare_encounters/links/

5dcdef894585156b35137163/Health-professional-cultural-competence-reduces-the-

psychological-and-behavioral-impact-of-negative-healthcare-encounters.pdf

Gonzalez, D., Karpman, M., Kenney, G. M., & Zuckerman, S. (2021). Delayed and forgone

health care for nonelderly adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Washington, DC:

Urban Institute. https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/103651/delayed-

and-forgone-health-care-for-nonelderly-adults-during-the-covid-19-pandemic.pdf

Kwame, A., & Petrucka, P. M. (2021). A literature-based study of patient-centered care and

communication in nurse-patient interactions: barriers, facilitators, and the way

forward. BMC nursing, 20(1), 1-10.

https://bmcnurs.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12912-021-00684-2

Lutchmun, W., Gach, J., Borup, C., & Froeschl, G. (2022). Chronic diseases and multi-morbidity

in persons experiencing homelessness: results from a cross-sectional study conducted at

three humanitarian clinics in Germany in 2020. BMC Public Health, 22(1), 1-11.

https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-022-14023-w

Miller-Kleinhenz, J. M., Collin, L. J., Seidel, R., Reddy, A., Nash, R., Switchenko, J. M., &

McCullough, L. E. (2021). Racial disparities in diagnostic delay among women with

breast cancer. Journal of the American College of Radiology, 18(10), 1384-1393.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8492512/

Singu, S., Acharya, A., Challagundla, K., & Byrareddy, S. N. (2020). Impact of social

determinants of health on the emerging COVID-19 pandemic in the United

States. Frontiers in public health, 8, 406.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00406/full
 12

Sorensen, G., Dennerlein, J. T., Peters, S. E., Sabbath, E. L., Kelly, E. L., & Wagner, G. R.

(2021). The future of research on work, safety, health and wellbeing: A guiding

conceptual framework. Social Science & Medicine, 269, 113593.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953620308121

Statz, M., & Evers, K. (2020). Spatial barriers as moral failings: What rural distance can teach us

about women's health and medical mistrust. Health & place, 64, 102396.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/am/pii/S1353829220305554

Stubbe, D. E. (2020). Practicing cultural competence and cultural humility in the care of diverse

patients. Focus, 18(1), 49-51.

https://focus.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.focus.20190041

Taylor, K. J., Ford, L., Allen, E. H., Mitchell, F., Eldridge, M., & Caraveo, C. A. (2022).

Improving and Expanding Programs to Support a Diverse Health Care Workforce.

https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/2022-05/Improving%20and%20Expanding

%20Programs%20to%20Support%20a%20Diverse%20Health%20Care%20Workforce

%20.pdf

Wakefield, M., Williams, D. R., & Le Menestrel, S. (2021). The future of nursing 2020-2030:

Charting a path to achieve health equity. National Academy of Sciences.

http://sadil.ws/bitstream/handle/123456789/781/The%20future%20of%20Nursing

%202030.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Wang, J., Zhu, H., Liu, H., Wu, K., Zhang, X., Zhao, M., & Shan, L. (2020). Can the reform of

integrating health insurance reduce inequity in catastrophic health expenditure? Evidence

from China. International Journal for Equity in Health, 19, 1-15.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12939-020-1145-5
 13

Wei, H. (2022). The development of an evidence-informed convergent care theory: working

together to achieve optimal health outcomes. International Journal of Nursing

Sciences, 9(1), 11-25.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352013221001216

Young, S., & Guo, K. L. (2020). Cultural diversity training: the necessity of cultural competence

for health care providers and in nursing practice. The health care manager, 39(2), 100-

108. https://dspace.lib.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10790/2987/1/guo.k-2016-0010.pdf

Zheng, Z., Han, X., Zhao, J., Banegas, M. P., Tucker-Seeley, R., Rai, A., & Yabroff, K. R.

(2020). Financial hardship, healthcare utilization, and health among US cancer

survivors. American journal of preventive medicine, 59(1), 68-78.

https://www.academia.edu/download/99674397/j.amepre.2020.02.01620230310-1-

1wex515.pdf