Inequality in Healthcare
By Shrividya Regadamilli
Statistics show that low-income families are more likely to face premature death from noncommunicable diseases due to a lack of proper resources and facilities. Beyond affordability, many other reasons for inequality in access to healthcare exist, such as racial and social injustice, and it is vital to gain various perspectives on the social issue of healthcare inequality in order to attain a strong understanding of the current healthcare system. Despite the growing inequality in the current healthcare system, organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Medical Association (AMA) are valuable in addressing this issue.
Disparities in healthcare accessibility exist frequently through 4 main sources: lack of affordability, racial discrimination issues, gender discrimination issues, and lack of proximity to sufficient facilities. Statistics show that nearly 20% of Americans didn’t have health insurance before the Affordable Care Act was put into place, making healthcare unaffordable for many. In regards to discrimination, a lack of awareness for different races and genders has proven to be detrimental to a diverse range of patients since common stereotypes typically held by physicians aren’t addressed. Furthermore, statistics show that there are fewer healthcare facilities and hospital beds in low-income communities, making it more difficult for some to access healthcare.
However, organizations such as WHO and AMA have created plans and procedures for addressing this prevalent global issue. The Universal Health Coverage plan established by WHO through several sustainable development goals for building institutions and healthcare settings, amongst others, aims to spread its help to 1 billion more people by 2025. AMA’s policy for decreasing healthcare disparities involves increasing physicians in minority populations and spreading awareness about “low health literacy among patients” for the goal of reinforcing the bonds between care providers and their patients. Being aware of these policies and taking initiative where applicable is essential for improvement and progress globally.
Sources:
https://www.who.int/news-room/facts-in-pictures/detail/health-inequities-and-their-causes
https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/patient-support-advocacy/reducing-disparities-health-care
https://www.thebalancemoney.com/health-care-inequality-facts-types-effect-solution-4174842
https://www.who.int/health-topics/universal-health-coverage#tab=tab_1