Health Problem 1) Definition of the problem 2) Descriptive epidemiology (person, place, time) 3) Etiology (causes, risk factors)

Introduction:

Healthy People 2020 identified Leading Health Indicators, or LHIs. These indicators represent some of the greatest public health concerns in the United States. One of the LHI is the “Clinical Preventive Services” indicator, which aims to increase the proportion of individuals who receive clinical preventive services to promote good health and prevent disease. Although clinical prevention services are available, they’re not used by all populations equally, resulting in negative outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to examine the disparities in health outcomes amongst racial/ethnic minorities when it comes to using clinical preventive care.

Health Problems

The Problem Definition:

Clinical prevention services aim to detect and prevent disease early. They also reduce the disease burden. Clinical preventive services can include cancer screenings and immunizations. In spite of the fact that these services are available, there is a disparity in their use among minorities. Healthy People 2020 states that there are disparities between racial minorities and whites in terms of the utilization of preventive health services. These include cancer screenings as well as immunizations or cardiovascular disease screenings.

Descriptive Epidemiology:

Person:

The use of preventive clinical services by racial minorities such as African Americans and Hispanics is lower than that of non-Hispanic Whites. African Americans, for example, have higher cancer mortality rates than non-Hispanic Whites. These disparities can be attributed to the differences in cancer screening. Hispanics receive less immunization compared to non-Hispanics. As a result, they are more likely to contract vaccine-preventable illnesses. American Indians are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases. These disparities can be attributed in part to the different use of screenings for cardiovascular disease.

Place:

Rural areas and inner city areas are areas where disparities in clinical preventive service use is more common. In rural areas, the use of prevention services is lower than in urban areas. This leads to health disparities. Inner-city regions also use preventive services at lower rates, which leads to adverse health outcomes in racial/ethnic minorities.

Time:

The disparities persist despite attempts to reduce them. Healthy People 2020 seeks to reduce disparities regarding the use clinical preventive service, however progress is slow.

Etiology:

Causes:

A variety of factors are responsible for disparities in the utilization of clinical prevention services, such as socioeconomic factors and cultural factors. Researchers have found that socioeconomic factors like poverty and lack health insurance are associated with lower rates for preventive care. Culture factors like mistrust for the healthcare system or language barriers have been associated with lower rates in preventive service use. A number of factors related to the healthcare system have been identified as contributing to disparities between preventive service use. These include lack of access to health care and insufficient provider training.

Risk Factors:

A number of risk factors are identified which contribute to the disparity in use among minorities of racial or ethnic origin. These factors include low health literacy and language barriers as well as cultural beliefs and practices. By addressing these factors, we can reduce disparities among minorities of color in terms of the clinical preventive care they receive.

Conclusion:

In the United States, disparities in the utilization of clinical prevention services by racial or ethnic minorities are a major public health issue. This disparity is attributed by various factors such as socioeconomic factors and cultural factors. By addressing these factors, we can reduce disparities between racial minorities and whites in their use of preventive clinical services.