Health disparities refer to differences in health outcomes experienced by different racial and ethnic groups. In the United States, these disparities often translate to minority groups having worse health outcomes than white Americans. This can take many forms, including:
- Higher rates of chronic disease: Black Americans, for instance, have higher rates of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes compared to white Americans https://www.americanprogress.org/article/health-disparities-race-ethnicity/.
- Greater mortality rates: Black Americans also have a lower life expectancy than white Americans, with this gap being several years https://www.kff.org/medicare/report/racial-and-ethnic-health-inequities-and-medicare/.
- Differential infant mortality: Black mothers are more likely to experience infant death compared to white mothers https://www.americanprogress.org/article/health-disparities-race-ethnicity/.
These disparities are complex and influenced by various factors, including:
- Social determinants of health: These are social and economic factors like access to quality healthcare, education, and healthy food, which are often unequally distributed across racial lines. Minority communities may have higher poverty rates, limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables, and live in environments with more pollution. All these factors contribute to poorer health outcomes https://www.cdc.gov/minorityhealth/racism-disparities/index.html.
- Racism in healthcare: Studies have shown that racial bias can influence how patients are treated by medical professionals, potentially leading to misdiagnosis or unequal care https://www.cdc.gov/minorityhealth/racism-disparities/index.html.
It’s important to note that health disparities are not always negative. Some immigrant groups, for instance, might have better health outcomes due to factors like healthier lifestyles. However, these disparities are a persistent public health issue in the United States, requiring ongoing efforts to achieve health equity for all.