Decreasing the Disparity Gap

By Paige Henderson
In a large population like the United

and minorities have lower accessibility,

States of America, health care disparities are

quality and affordability when it comes to

an inevitable entity. However, what can

treatment, Artiga states. In the end, the United

explain the large disparities that certain

States Government provides small

groups of the U.S population continue to

improvements to the health care system.

face? Disparities can be described as the

Although arguments arise about the budget,

inconsistencies in treatment for groups of a

the U.S Government should impose new

certain race, age, gender, socioeconomic

techniques and influence health promotion to

status and more (Artiga, 2016); Poor African

decease disparities African Americans

Americans with cancer commonly face

continue to face.

disparities. With this knowledge, questions

Photo: sph.umd.edu

have always been raised as to why large

amounts of disparities continue to be steady
in minority and low income populations of
the United States. In a closer look, the United
States population accounts for 61% white
and 12% African American (Population
Distribution, 2015), however, African
American men and women have a higher
death rates in cancer (Cancer Rates, 2016),

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Henderson 2
Data: www.CDC.gov

This Graph
explains that
African
American men
have a higher
cancer death rate
(per 100,000)
versus whites
and other
minority races.

History of Disparities
In Robert Feldman and Robinson

men and women with heart disease, HIV and

cancer were studied, and it was found that

Fullwoods 1999 study titled The Three

African American men and women had a

Leading Causes of Death in African

higher death rate for all diseases (Feldman,

Americans: Barriers to Reducing Excess

Fullwood, 1999). Some disparities they

Disparity and to Improving Behaviors

mentioned in the study included the social

Health, they describe the leading causes of

and economical differences in African

death for African Americans, compared the

American communities. Higher death rates in

death rates of races and provided new ways to

the African American community versus

improve disparities. In the study, Feldman

whites when it comes to cancer is prevalent in

and Fullwood proved the leading causes of

the United States. More recently according to

African American death were HIV inections,

the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center,

heart diseases and cancers. Age-adjusted

African Americans have a 33 percent higher

African American men and women and white

death rate for all cancers combined compared

Henderson 3
to their white counterparts. Minorities in the

also know as the Affordable Care Act

U.S are also faced with higher poverty rates.

proposed in 2010 by President Obama, as a

Kaiser Family Foundationss 2016 poverty

system that provides affordable health

rate by race/ethnicity data shows that African

insurance, regulates health care spending and

Americans are at a 24% poverty rate,

introduces new tax breaks. One of the

Hispanics at 21%, and whites at 9%. With this

downsides to this act is the tax breaks;

knowledge its easy to conclude that

Individuals making over $200,000 a year and

disparities and economics status go hand in

large business making over $250,000 are the

hand; the lower your income the lower your

ones who will be directly affected by it.

chances for overall health care and proper

(What is Obamacare, 2016). Despite its

treatment. Health care is meant to be an

negative reputation, the Affordable Care Act

option for anyone, but why is it that the

has decreased the uninsured health care rate

wealthy to middle class individuals always

from a 15.7% down to 8.6%. While

have the best access? However, this is not to

improving the uninsured health care rate is

say that all minorities are poor; Only 8.6% of

beneficial for African Americans, it does not

Americans are uninsured (What is

improve the likelihood of African Americans

Obamacare, 2016).

seeking proper treatment (Feldman,

Understanding Obamacare

Fullwood, 1999).

One technique that the U.S government has

Quality of Treatment

used to improve disparities is Obamacare.

Access to Health insurance does

The Obama Care Facts website article titled

decrease the disparity gap, but proper

What is Obamacare? describes Obamacare,

treatment for African American in health care

Henderson 4
also needs improvement. One major problem

the article it states that doctors are trained to

needing improvement would be the quality of

follow a set of behaviors when it comes to

treatment. Any doctor would argue that they

their technique, it may come off to minorities

do not discriminate, but the 2015 study

as a doctor ignoring their medical problems

conducted by Meng-Yun Lin and Nancy R.

(Bergen-Penn, 2015). For example, the

Kressin on minority patients experience with

unethical Tuskegee Syphillis Study from

decision making and treatment states

1932 to 1972. This study proved of doctors

otherwise. They concluded that the minorities

ignoring African American men which has

receive less information from their doctors on

left some African americans scared to seek

treatment recommendations and also fewer

treatment overall (About USPHS, 2016).

explanations on the treatment used (Kressin,

This study was intended to evaluate an

Lin, 2015). However in the study they

experimental group of African American men

provide options to change this result

who had syphilis as well as provide penicillin

including evaluating doctor communication

vaccines for survival (About USPHS,

techniques with minority races to make sure

2016). Instead, the article states, African

they're providing equal treatment. Michele

American men were withheld the treatment of

Bergen Penn also explains in her article titled

penicillin and left to suffer through the

Minorities are less likely to trust their

disease while not being informed of their

doctors that minorities do not have faith that

health status; some thought they were just

their doctors are providing enough care to

experiencing fatigue. Overall, better

their best ability, and instead are just

communication and practice between patients

following the doctor standards and . While in

and doctors could decrease the disparities

Henderson 5
minorities face and ensured trust will make it

doctors treat minority patients different

easier for them to seek an overall treatment.

compared to the white patients in terms of

Is a Need for a Change Necessary?

treatment and proving information (Kressin,

The United States Government is

Lin, 2015). So, empowering African

working towards fixing the health care system

Americans to engage in health promotion

in the United States of America as well as the

could be beneficial (Feldman, Fullwood,

disparities that are constantly plagued in the

1999). With the next president now elected,

minority population. Although large in size, it

there is a possibility of erasing the health care

is proven that disparities can be lowered in

system that is working. Overall, a complete

the population, as the Affordable Care Act

Republican Congress and President could

leads by example. Yet, the overall cost of it

potentially widen the gap of disparities for

and who will be paying the most taxes is a

minorities, so it is important to take these

common argument (What is Obamacare,

thoughts into consideration.

2016). A steady health care system is ideal,

but it still has many more subgroups that need
to be put into perspective including proper
care and communication techniques.
Minorities do not feel their doctors are doing
the best they can when providing treatment
due to personal opinions as well as the history
of the country regarding some practices
(Bergen-Penn, 2015). Studies also show that

Henderson 6
Works Cited
Artiga, S. (2016, August 12). Disparities in Health and Health Care: Five Key Questions
and Answers. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved from http://kff.org/
disparities-policy/issue-brief/disparities-in-health-and-health-care-five-key-questionsand-answers/

Berger-Penn, M. (2015, December 28). Minorities are less likely to trust their doctors.
Futurity. Retrieved from http://www.futurity.org/physicians-race-trust-1079492-2/

Feldman, R. H. L, Fullwood, R. (1999). The Three Leading Causes of Death in African

Americans: Barriers to Reducing Excess Disparity and to Improving Behaviors Health.
Project Muse. Retrieved from https://muse-jhu-edu.lib-proxy.fullerton.edu/article/269739/pdf

Kressin, N., Lin., M.Y. (2015, December). Race/ethnicity and Americans experiences with
treatment decision making. Patient Education and Counseling. Retrieved from http://
www.pec-journal.com/article/S0738-3991(15)30025-2/pdf

(2016). About the USPHS Syphilis Study. Tuskegee. Retrieved from http://
www.tuskegee.edu/about_us/centers_of_excellence/bioethics_center/
about_the_usphs_syphilis_study.aspx

(2016). African Americans and Cancer. Fred Hutchinson. Retrieved from https://
www.fredhutch.org/en/events/cancer-in-our-communities/african-americans-andcancer.html

(2016, June 21). Cancer Rates by Race/Ethnicity and Sex. Center For Disease and
Control. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/data/race.htm

(2015).Population Distribution by Race/Ethnicity. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.

Retrieved from http://kff.org/other/state-indicator/distribution-by-raceethnicity/?
currentTimeframe=0&sortModel={%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort
%22:%22asc%22}

(2016). What is The Affordable Care Act? Obamacare Facts. Retrieved from

http://obamacarefacts.com

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