Introduction
Seeking primary medical care is a fundamental human right that every United States citizen is entitled to. However, in reality, some people have more freedom in choosing a healthcare provider while others cannot receive even the most basic treatment. Healthcare disparities have been a growing social issue in the U.S., perpetuated by multiple factors, such as income, race, gender, and age. It is a pressing issue in public health that social workers aim to eliminate by active decision-making and policy implementation. This discussion will examine the unequal access to healthcare and its cause, investigate its prevalence, describe vulnerable populations, apply theories that support the problem, and discover ways to mitigate the issue.
Description and Causes
To address unequal access to healthcare, it is essential to examine its definition and possible causes. Health disparities are characterized by a set of factors that stop people from seeking and receiving healthcare. According to Almeida et al. (2017), social determinants of health are the driving force behind the current healthcare inequality. This concept describes the social, economic, and environmental conditions that people grow up and live in throughout their life (Almeida et al., 2017). These factors, along with personal characteristics like one’s culture, race, ethnicity, and age, significantly contribute to medical care availability. Murray (2018) emphasizes that social determinants of health are the primary barrier to change in battling health inequalities among social workers. They play a deciding role in insurance coverage, access to medical professionals, and the ability to purchase medicine.
Prevalence
Health inequality is a multidisciplinary issue affecting a large population in the United States, with social and economic consequences for those who seem to be unaffected at the first glance. The nationwide prevalence of unequal access to healthcare services is challenging to estimate since ethnic minorities, a portion of which are undocumented immigrants, are the most affected population (World Health Organization [WHO], 2020). As it concerns the aftermath of the problem, a hypothetical scenario can help in examining the situation. For instance, an adult becomes affected by some medical issues. Due to a lack of funds and education, he or she decides not to go to the doctor for a check-up. Eventually, the person’s symptoms escalate, which results in skipping work and a need in more expensive medicine to cope with the illness. Maltreatment of one’s health also leads to worsened family outcomes. Thus, economic and social burden of health inequality is drastic and needs to be addressed.
Targeted Population
Although unequal access to healthcare is a widespread issue, African Americans are the most influenced by this public health dilemma. According to World Health Organization (2020), “African-American men in the U.S. are the most likely, among all ethnic groups in the U.S., to develop cancer – a rate of 598.5 per 100,000” (para. 2). This finding is directly related to the social determinants of health that African Americans experience. These factors include “low educational attainment, lack of health insurance, poor social support and treatment compliance are associated with unfavorable disease outcomes in combination with, ethnic influences” (Carter et al., 2016, p. 605). Consequently, ethnic minorities are more affected by this social issue.
Solution Strategies
Given the severity of the problem, social workers and policymakers have adopted an active decision-making approach to minimize health inequalities. Since health disparities are systematic and go beyond the scope of healthcare, extending to housing, institutional discrimination, and systematic inequality, social workers need to address it comprehensively. Thornton et al. (2016) state that the strategy of cooperating with local healthcare providers has been the key to solving the problem along with a person-in-environment approach. While the Affordable Care Act has been one of the measures taken to minimize the issue, researchers and policy analysts recognize that it has not been implemented nationwide (Martinez & Dimitri, 2019). Thus, social workers need to become familiar with healthcare’s legal framework and operate with the principles of equality and legal rights to mitigate racialized social policies and catalyze change.
References
Almeida, A., Nunes, B., Duro, S., & Facchini, L. (2017). Socioeconomic determinants of access to health services among older adults: A systematic review. Revista De Saúde Pública, 51(1), 1-16.
Carter, E., Barr, S., & Clarke, A. (2016). The global burden of SLE: Prevalence, health disparities and socioeconomic impact. Nature Reviews Rheumatology, 12(10), 605-620.
Martinez, L. S., & Dimitri, N. (2019). Health equity, social determinants of health, and the role of social work. Boston Medical Health Center.
Murray, T. (2018). Overview and summary: Addressing social determinants of health: Progress and opportunities. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(3), 17-23. Web.
Thornton, R., Glover, C., Cené, C., Glik, D., Henderson, J., & Williams, D. (2016). Evaluating strategies for reducing health disparities by addressing the social determinants of health. Health Affairs, 35(8), 1416-1423.
World Health Organization. (2020). World conference on social determinants of health. WHO. Web.