Health Care Inequalities

Health Care Inequalities The healthcare system constitutes numerous entities, including healthcare facilities, healthcare providers, and resources necessary to deliver quality care. Access to health care varies significantly from one location to another and from one population to another. This variation is augmented by the challenges that typify the healthcare system (Howe, 2020). Policymakers have proposed a wide range of interventions to address the problems that affect healthcare delivery across the continuum. Unfortunately, healthcare inequalities are still common.

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Health inequalities refer to the unjust and avoidable variations in people’s heath between specific population groups. The presentation by Harvard University (2016) highlights some of the factors that contribute to healthcare inequalities. The presenters noted that the unequal distribution of resources, power, and wealth is the primary cause of health inequalities. A lack of finances is particularly a significant contributor to health inequalities. Low-income families experience numerous challenges in the search for healthcare. These people have numerous problems that cannot be addressed through the conventional healthcare setup. The lack of health insurance cover compounds their problems making it even harder to focus on other life issues.

Such inequalities result in poverty and marginalization that negatively affect the health, wellbeing, and life expectancy of the people (Harvard University, 2016). Health inequalities also result in increased morbidity and mortality rates as individuals cannot access care in times of need.

Certainly, poor health outcomes disrupt people’s plans to progress in their lives. Poverty, as pointed to by Sheehy-Skeffington and Rea (2017), affects not only the health of the people but also their ability to make accurate decisions. These problems indicate there is a need to carry out comprehensive healthcare reforms. Policymakers need to develop competent policies to increase insurance coverage, access to care and improve public health (Mackenbach, 2019). Healthcare stakeholders also need to support actions and policies that encourage people to adopt healthy behaviors by reducing healthcare costs and increasing the availability of health products Continued reforms will decrease the number of uninsured people, thus, helping those with chronic conditions access to care and medications (Mackenbach, 2019). Data on evaluation of the Affordable Care Act indicate that this policy increases the number of people with health insurance cover by 20 million. These statistics indicate that insurance coverage could be

increased even further if more reforms are undertaken. Reports show that at least 10% of the population is still uninsured hence at risk of poor health outcomes due to limited access. This population comprises ethnic minorities and low-income families. Therefore, reforms will ensure that health insurance will become more affordable for these people.

Further, continued reforms will increase the quality of care provided to the people besides reducing care costs. The needy will have regular access to quality care (Mackenbach, 2019).

Reforms provide a base for improving the strategies utilized to deliver care to the people. A more integrative healthcare system where the people's needs guide policies is the ultimate objective of the healthcare reforms. The establishment of community health centers, for instance, is a practical approach through which access to care can be enhanced. Reforms will enhance resourcing of these facilities to serve more people.

References Harvard University. (2016, April 22). Health care inequalities in America: The need for continuing reform [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/Nychm8M7uyM Howe, A. (2020). Tackling Causes and Consequences of Health Inequalities: A Practical Guide.

Taylor & Francis Group Mackenbach, J. P. (2019). Health inequalities: Persistence and change in modern welfare states.

Oxford University Press.

Sheehy-Skeffington, J., & Rea, J. (2017). How poverty affects People's decision-making processes (pp. 1-73). York: Joseph Rowntree Foundation.