Health Inequities and Disparities - Essay Example

"Health Inequities and Disparities" is a perfect example of a paper on social and family issues. In spite of the significant progress which has been made in care provision, health inequalities and disparities remain among the health challenges being faced by communities today. The health disparities are the differences in the health and the health care which is provided to different populations and groups. Such differences are as a result of economic, political, social and cultural factors. There is overwhelming evidence that there are some groups that tend to receive low-quality care. They are also at risk of suffering from specific conditions which compromise their health and wellbeing. According to Mikkonen & Raphael (2010), health disparities lead to a higher burden of illness, disability, injury or even mortality among the members of the group. Health disparities are evidenced in terms of the access to care and the quality of health care services which people received. Even though the disparities have always been viewed from race and ethnicity angles, their occurrence is cross-dimensional (Statistics Canada, 2010). They cut across the boundaries of socio-economic status, gender, disability status, age and sex.

Naidoo & Wills (2010) argues that there is a need to limit the effects of the disparities so as to ensure the wellbeing of a given community. One of the major ways through which this can be achieved is by improving health literacy. Health literacy can be enhanced by increasing capacity of care providers so that they can communicate effectively with service users and respond to their needs. Secondly, opportunities which increase the capacity of the underserved groups to access better care must be supported. Finally, it is imperative to come up with an intersectoral and collaborative exchange mechanism in a primary care setting which not only promotes coordination but also facilitate the identification of the needs of the service users.

Module 10

Violence, homelessness and poverty are known to, directly and indirectly, affect the health of a population and the kind of care which is offered in different care settings. According to UNIFEM (2007), poverty influences the living standards of communities thus dictating the kind of care which they can access. Individuals who are faced with poverty are unable to meet their daily needs as well as vital health care needs. Just like poverty, violence tends to have a detrimental impact on the health and wellbeing of individuals. Those who live in households and communities which experience violence are at high risk of developing certain health complications like physical injury (United Nations, 2013). Homeless people also experience higher rates of comorbidities, chronic conditions as well as physical limitations compared to the general population. Majority of homeless people are known to have at least one chronic disease and an untreated health challenge.

To mitigate the effects of violence, poverty and homelessness, nurses need to understand the personal values and needs of those who are faced with such issues. The everyday lives of the health providers and the disadvantaged groups are very different. They two groups are cultural strangers to each other (United Nations, 2012). By understanding the personal needs, it is possible to know the best intervention required to enhance the health and wellbeing of service users. The issues can also be dealt with by promoting community participation in the service provision. Regent Park-Youth Council has effectively utilized this strategy together with counselling and training to deal with poverty and violence concerns (Regent Park Community Health Centre, 2009).

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