Reducing Health Disparities Among Latino/Hispanic Populations in the US
Description
The Latino/Hispanic population makes up a large proportion of the US population, especially the majority of its workforce; however, despite their vast level of employment, most of these are low-wage jobs lacking in occupational benefits. As a result of an adverse labor-centered life, the health of many underserved Hispanic communities is not only poor, but they suffer inequities in their access and quality of medical care as well. These disparities exist on many different planes, from the individual level to the area of government policies. This paper analyzes and reviews the different barriers and risk factors of health disparities that affect large portions of the US Latino/Hispanic population, such as personal beliefs, healthcare affordability, cost of living, education, transportation, hazardous environments, and nearly inescapable poverty, all of which contribute to poor health outcomes and increasing disparities. Realizing that healthcare disparities are a multifaceted issue, it is suitable to utilize the Social Ecological Model of health to best understand these problems in order to converge public health attention towards mitigating them. Following the literature review are suggestions of interventions revolving around the components of the Social Ecological Model - individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and policy level - that seek to reduce and ultimately eliminate the inequity in access and quality of healthcare for many underprivileged and underserved Latino/Hispanic communities across the US.
Reducing Health Disparities Among Latino/Hispanic Populations in the US
Providence College
The Latino/Hispanic population makes up a large proportion of the US population, especially the majority of its workforce; however, despite their vast level of employment, most of these are low-wage jobs lacking in occupational benefits. As a result of an adverse labor-centered life, the health of many underserved Hispanic communities is not only poor, but they suffer inequities in their access and quality of medical care as well. These disparities exist on many different planes, from the individual level to the area of government policies. This paper analyzes and reviews the different barriers and risk factors of health disparities that affect large portions of the US Latino/Hispanic population, such as personal beliefs, healthcare affordability, cost of living, education, transportation, hazardous environments, and nearly inescapable poverty, all of which contribute to poor health outcomes and increasing disparities. Realizing that healthcare disparities are a multifaceted issue, it is suitable to utilize the Social Ecological Model of health to best understand these problems in order to converge public health attention towards mitigating them. Following the literature review are suggestions of interventions revolving around the components of the Social Ecological Model - individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and policy level - that seek to reduce and ultimately eliminate the inequity in access and quality of healthcare for many underprivileged and underserved Latino/Hispanic communities across the US.
