Healthcare Disparities in the United States - Essay Example

"Healthcare Disparities in the United States" is an outstanding example of a paper on the health system. The essay aims to address a two-fold objective to wit: (1) to explore the services available for the yearly income for the group of Hispanics in the State of Louisiana; and (2) to address healthcare disparities in the United States.

            America has been a melting pot of diverse cultures and it has changed its ethnic composition dramatically since the twentieth century. A number of ethnic minorities such as Latin Americans and non-Hispanics have been migrating due to industrialization but issues regarding race, ethnicity, and health also emerge (LaVeist and Isaac, 2013, 6). These ethnic groups were believed to have experienced inequality in the delivery and acceptance of care and herewith, several documentation of healthcare disparities in the United States became subject of controversy.

According to LaVeist and Isaac (2013), healthcare disparities refer to the differences in morbidity, mortality, and access to care due to socioeconomic status (gender, residence, income, race or ethnicity (12). A Hispanic may receive lower healthcare insurance compared to Americans because of differences in race or ethnicity or a Hispanic may receive low-quality care than Americans because of differences in their income. Thus, it is essential to look beyond the scenario itself and focus on social status as key indicators of healthcare disparities in the United States.

The published article on Health Affairs by William H. Frist (2005) confirmed the statistics that Hispanics and other ethnic minorities are generally poorer than whites, have a family income below 200 percent of the federal poverty level and are mostly uninsured (446). Data revealed that a family household in America should have a real median income of $64,053 a year; however, the selected Hispanic family in Louisiana only earns $26,000-$39,000 a year (United States Census Bureau, 2013, n.p). Strikingly, these income differences together with numerous studies, have documented Hispanics’ lack of sufficient access to health services.

            Figures, particularly in terms of income, matter in availing health services among Hispanics. The impact of income in availing health services has made issues related to lack of health insurance, geographic proximity and transportation, and language barriers under study. Statistics note that the Hispanic population is likely to be uninsured, particularly the children, foreign-born child, and those from low-income criteria. Hispanics also have issues in going to a healthcare provider because they are less likely to drive and there are shortages of Hispanic healthcare professionals. Worst, Hispanics often receive poor quality care because of having language-barrier when communicating their needs to a white health practitioner.

On a high note, there are also various types of health care services available for Hispanics in the state of Louisiana, namely: public assistance, provision of Medicaid, and care of behavioral health. Public assistance and Medicaid are specially intended for low-income and uninsured residents while behavioral health aims to care for the mental health of the Hispanics due to socioeconomic stressors and other substance abuse-related conditions (Department of Health & Hospitals, 2014, n.p).

There is no specific percentage of income that Hispanics used for healthcare during a typical year for Hispanics in the state of Louisiana; however, a number of literature agree that Hispanics tend to allocate a relatively low amount of their income in seeking health. Aside from the aforementioned barriers in seeking care (e.g. lack of insurance), Hispanics also look at the importance of preventive care and some cultural practices (Morales et al., 2002, 484). In addition, reflecting on the real median income of a Hispanic for a year, one can conclude that a Hispanic family of four in the state of Louisiana earning between $26,000-$39,000 a year, could not provide the majority of the health services being provided except those of Medicaid and public assistance programs.