What are two public policies needed to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in health care?

Social determinants of Health and Public Health

1. Access to health care for everyone: A public policy is needed to decrease racial or ethnic disparities. This includes increasing the access of all people to equitable and affordable health services, regardless of their race or ethnicity. The combination of expanding Medicaid, funding community clinics and subsidizing premiums could achieve this.

2. Improve cultural competence among healthcare providers. Another policy that is necessary to reduce racial disparities and improve the care of minority groups concerns improving their quality of health. Namely, there needs to be an emphasis on improving cultural competence among providers so that they are better equipped to understand the unique needs of patients from different backgrounds and provide culturally sensitive treatments tailored specifically toward those populations’ concerns.