Health Disperities and Inequalities in Black/African AMERICANS

1 HEALTH DISPERITIES AND INEQUALITIES IN BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICANS Health disparities and inequalities Introduction 2 Health disparities 2 Major behavioural factors that are responsible for health disparities 3 State level policies of US related to health disparities 3 Affordable Care Act 4 Community health centres (CHC’s) 4 CHIP (Children health insurance program) 4 Health and human services action plan (ICHHS action plan) 4 Health disparities found in Black/African Americans 5 Reason for choosing Black Americans for analysis

Health disparities and inequalities

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HEALTH DISPERITIES AND INEQUALITIES IN BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICANS
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Health disparities........................................................................................................................2
Major behavioural factors that are responsible for health disparities........................................3
State level policies of US related to health disparities...............................................................3
Affordable Care Act...............................................................................................................4
Community health centres (CHC’s).......................................................................................4
CHIP (Children health insurance program)...........................................................................4
Health and human services action plan (HHS action plan)....................................................4
Health disparities found in Black/African Americans...............................................................5
Reason for choosing Black Americans for analysis...............................................................6
Vision of Action Plan.............................................................................................................6
The major objectives and goals of the action plan.................................................................7
Action Plan.................................................................................................................................8
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................9
References................................................................................................................................11

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HEALTH DISPERITIES AND INEQUALITIES IN BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICANS
Introduction
In this assignment an analysis will be done over the health disparities and inequalities inside
the US. The factors which directly or indirectly influence the health disparities will also be
discussed. The focus will be given over the state level policies and local policies related to
health disparities. A description is given over the analysis of the poor health conditions of the
black Americans inside the country. An action plan is made to remove the health disparities
and inequalities from the country and for maintaining a favourable health conditions
throughout the country.
The action plan is totally focused over various strategies that should be adopted by health
care organisations in order to remove the causes of health disparities and inequalities exists
among the minority population especially Black Americans.
Health disparities
Health disparities are defined as the gap between the health conditions related to the various
group of people of the country. Usually the minority population of the country are suffering
from many harmful diseases as comparative to the normal population of the country
(Study.com, 2020).
The health disparities are related to the high and noticeable difference measured in the
different population group in US. It can be said that health conditions are satisfactory with
one group of population of the country whereas health conditions are very poor in another
group of population inside the country (CL Erving, 2020). It represents the poor health
conditions of a particular group of population because of many reasons like poor access to
health care services, lack of education, lack of basic hygienic facilities, poor living
conditions, improper dietary habits and many other factors related to the lifestyle of the
persons (Study.com, 2020).
There is also a noticeable difference in the mortality and morbidity rate among the different
group of populations. It has been noticed in various researches that some particular group of
people are more prone to particular diseases like HIV, Cardiovascular diseases, heart diseases
and strokes etc. Overall, it can be said that the difference in the condition of health in the
group of people of the country is known as the health disparities (TAYLOR, 2019).

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HEALTH DISPERITIES AND INEQUALITIES IN BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICANS
Major behavioural factors that are responsible for health disparities
Usually health disparities may be found on the bases of racial, ethnic, geographical and other
socioeconomic factors. Poverty and low social economic status is also are also responsible for
the health disparities among the country. Minority population is severely affected by the
causes of health disparities. Incapability in receiving medical insurance and lack of health
insurance are also responsible for the poor health conditions of minority population of US
(Cynthia Prather, 2018).
Some of the major factors responsible for health disparities are as follows:
 Difference in income level of the particular population.
 Difference in the education level of the persons.
 Huge gap between the living conditions of the people (IC Williams, 2018).
 Poverty and poor dietary habits.
 Heredity with some particular diseases.
 Unawareness about screening and vaccination programs.
 Lack of care related to basic health (IC Williams, 2018).
 Addiction of alcohol and drugs.
 Incapability in understanding the basic knowledge about the health care system.
 Many chronic diseases are transferred from generation to generation in the people
with specific race.
 Unawareness about the consequences of the addiction of alcohol or drugs.
 Genetic transmission of diseases from one generation to next generation.
 Unhealthy and poor hygienic system and poor living conditions.
 Unemployment and low income group.
 Poor upbringing of children especially improper dietary habits (TAYLOR, 2019).
State level policies of US related to health disparities
US government is trying very hard in order to improve the health disparities showing by the
minority population of the country (NCBI, 2020). However the government of the country is
making a lot of efforts to remove the health disparities but still a lot of changes are required
in overcoming the problems of the minority people. Federal government is very much
concern about establishing a sound health system throughout the country. Many legislative

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HEALTH DISPERITIES AND INEQUALITIES IN BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICANS
acts and laws have been made and implemented by the government in order to improve the
poor health condition of the people of minority (health, 2020).
Some of the laws of US government are as follows:
Affordable Care Act
This act ensures about the basic health care facilities to all the people those are from below
the poverty level. This act especially focuses over providing the affordable insurance services
to all the people of the country. This act is also known as ‘Obamacare’ which is totally
dedicated towards the improvement of health conditions in minority and poor population of
the country (gov, 2020).
This act is focused over helping the minority people from low income class. Most of the
people belongs from Black Americans minority do not have sufficient money to afford the
basic health care facilities. ACA is majorly focused over helping these people by providing
them affordable health insurance schemes and ground level health care facilities (gov, 2020).
Community health centres (CHC’s)
Community health centres are responsible for providing health care to those individuals who
belongs from low income group. These services are providing for improving the health
disparities and inequalities inside the countries. Improving the health conditions of children
belongs from low income communities are the major objectives of the community health
centres. The major objective of community health centres is to provide affordable services to
the minority population of the country (Services, 2020).
CHIP (Children health insurance program)
CHIP offers very low cost health coverage especially of the children for all economic group
of the country. This act also covers the pregnant women so that the health of the children can
be improved from an early age. The major objective of this program is to ensure about the
proper health of the children of the country by providing them basic health care facilities
(government, 2020).
Health and human services action plan (HHS action plan)
The US department of health and human services action plan is totally focussed over
reducing the racial and ethnic health disparities. It is the most popular federal commitment in

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HEALTH DISPERITIES AND INEQUALITIES IN BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICANS
order to remove the health disparities and inequalities in the country. This action plan is
focusing over establishing a favourable health conditions especially to the minority
population of the country by providing them basic Medicare and clinical facilities along with
providing basic knowledge about health and various diseases. This plan is focussed over
making the essential activities in order to resolve the health disparities issues. This action
plan is ensuring the basic health care coverage to all the people of the country (services,
2020).
Health disparities found in Black/African Americans
Around 12.7% of population of the country represented by Black Americans which the
second largest minority population of the country. According to a survey of 2017, the total
population of Black Americans are 41.4 Million. Most of the black Americans are living in
the south side of the country. The major states of the country where this population are living
are Texas, California, Georgia, New Jersey and many southern states of the country (Cynthia
Prather, 2018).
Despite of lot of efforts from the government for improving the health conditions of black
Americans, they are facing many health challenges. Black Americans are suffering from
illness caused by various diseases. They are facing lower expectancy of life as comparative to
other racial and ethnic group of populations. The health condition of women and children are
also very critical in this minority population. Many of the women are suffering from cancer
and other very critical diseases. They are not only facing very bad health conditions but also
they are suffering from poor economic background (DeNoon, 2020).
American health care system working very hard for improving the health care conditions of
black Americans but this population is severely affected by very harmful and critical diseases
in comparison of other groups of population (prevention, 2020).
According to a research, Diabetes and its consequences are very often found in black
Americans than any other population group. Diabetes is 60% commonly found in black
Americans than in white Americans. These people are also suffering from the life taking
consequences of the disease diabetes like kidney failures, eye sight problems and heart
diseases etc. The black Americans are 5.6 times more prone to suffer from kidney related

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HEALTH DISPERITIES AND INEQUALITIES IN BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICANS
diseases than other people. African Americans are also three times more likely to die from
Asthma than white population of the country (health, 2020).
Death from lungs related disease is also very common in the black Americans of the country.
Moreover, it can be said that this population is showing a large gap of health disparity in the
country. Heart and blood pressure related diseases are quite often in the Black Americans of
the country. Black Americans develop blood pressure and cancer diseases with other physical
problems even in their early stages of life (K Patel, 2020). The child health in black
Americans is also very crucial and critical. The child maternity rate is very higher in this
group of people (health, 2020).
Women are also in very bad health positions in Black Americans. HIV and Aids are widely
spread in this group of people as comparison to another population of the country. The
government of US is doing a lot of efforts to improve the physical conditions of black
Americans but still they need more efforts to overcome from this challenging health
condition of this population (K Patel, 2020). Stroke is taking lives of black Americans that
are four times higher than white Americans. Cancer death rate is 40% higher in black
Americans as comparative to other persons of the country. It is very clear that black
Americans are suffering from extremely poor health conditions and that is why showing a
very huge gap in the health disparities inside the country (health, 2020).
Reason for choosing Black Americans for analysis
Black or African Americans are not only the second largest population of the country but also
it is showing a very severe position of health conditions that is why it is very important to
represent the contribution of this population in health disparities and inequalities (Am J
Obstet Gynecol, 2020). This group of population is very vulnerable towards the health. A lot
of poverty is found in these people that are why Black Americans need proper health
strategies to resolve their health issues. This minority population is well known about
suffering from chronic, long and life taking diseases that is why an in depth study is needed
to know the real health conditions of the Black American’s population (Cynthia Prather,
2018).
As a CEO of the organisation, I will make an effective action plan to resolve the health issues
of Black/African Americans minority population.
Vision of Action Plan

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HEALTH DISPERITIES AND INEQUALITIES IN BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICANS
First of all, the people of the population Black Americans should be getting proper medical
and clinical facilities in order to ensure about wellbeing of their physical health. The major
goal of the action plan is to adopt most effective strategies to overcome with the health
inequalities (Am J Obstet Gynecol, 2020).
The major vision of the Action plan is to completely remove the poor health conditions from
the minority population of the country. Ensuring and establishing a favourable and sound
environment of health is the major goal of the Action plan. However the federal government
is making a lot of regulatory authorities to control the health disparities inside the country but
a lot of efforts are needed from local communities and local health care organisations
(Study.com, 2020).
The short term vision of the action plan is to improve the health conditions in minority
population especially in Black Americans whereas the long term vision of the action plan is
to establish a very sound health conditions throughout the country without having any
disparities and inequalities (IC Williams, 2018).
The major objectives and goals of the action plan
 To guide all the stakeholders related to the health disparities conditions for example:
minority people, federal government, community centres, local governing agencies,
health care groups and the people of the society, related to the health disparities
(NCBI, 2020).
 To ensure about providing the basic medical, clinical and healthcare services to the
black Americans at free of cost or at a very low cost. Basic health care services
involved about treatment of the diseases and check-ups for assessing the diseases
among the people of minority people (Study.com, 2020).
 To provide the health insurance to the people of the minority population of black
Americans. By providing health insurance and medical insurance coverage the black
Americans can handle the cost of treatments and this strategy is helpful in reducing
the health disparity and inequalities.
 Monitor and continuously evaluate the success of the action plan by assessing the real
performance of the people of the health care sectors. By doing monitoring of the
action plan, the effectiveness of the action plan can be judged.
 Ensuring the equal number of people receiving the Medicaid, health insurance
schemes and CHIP (government, 2020). The poor and weak people are at the priority

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HEALTH DISPERITIES AND INEQUALITIES IN BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICANS
of the action plan. These people should receive all the basic health care facilities in
order to overcome from their chronicle disease pattern (Am J Obstet Gynecol, 2020).
 Constantly improving the quality of health care services offered by the organisation to
the people of the Black Americans. The medical facilities should be given at very
affordable cost by the organisation to the Black Americans in order to defeat the
diseases (Cynthia Prather, 2018).
 The organisation should promote and enhance the number of health care workers in
order to provide effective and quick health care services to the minority people.
 Poor condition of education among women and children and high unemployment rate
is also responsible for the severe health conditions of Black Americans people.
 The basic hygienic education should be provided to the minority people so that they
can understand about the quality of living the life with cleanliness.
 Increasing the education level of the people of the minority community is the very
effective method to remove the health disparities from the country.
 The health organisation should promote the community based health care services in
order to provide the health care facilities to the minority people at local level
(TAYLOR, 2019).
Action Plan
Planning and objectives Strategies for Action
Plan
Time period People involved
To remove the illiteracy
from Black American
population
Provide them a training
session with the help of
healthcare experts in
order to teach them
basic rules for
maintaining their
health.
Three months Managers and
health care
practitioners.
To provide them basic
healthcare services
Affordable and easily
accessible health care
services should be
provided to the Black
Americans to improve
Fifteen days Health care
professionals
and workers.

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HEALTH DISPERITIES AND INEQUALITIES IN BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICANS
their health conditions.
To make them
understand about the
benefits of healthy diet
They should be well
taught about the
benefits of receiving the
balanced and healthy
diet in order to remain
healthy and fit.
Seven days. Managers and
healthcare
professionals.
To make the minority
people aware about the
consequences of drugs
and alcohol
Training session and
guidelines should be
provided to the Black
Americans people so
that they can get rid of
their bad habits and
would be able to gain
the health benefits.
One month Managers,
healthcare
professionals
and workers.
To provide free medical
health check-up facilities
to the minority people
Free health check-up
facilities should be
given by the healthcare
sectors to improve the
health conditions of the
Black Americans.
Three months Managers and
staff members of
the organisation.
Conclusion
The health disparities and inequalities are the major challenge for the government of US in
order to maintain a favourable health conditions inside the country. By analysing the health
behaviour of the minority group, it can be concluded that people of minority do not aware
about the basic knowledge of healthcare facilities. They even do not understand about the
basic needs related to maintaining their health. It can be said that providing basic health
education is very much essential for the minority people.
On the bases of the above analysis it can be concluded that the people of Black American
population is severely affecting by the life taking and dangerous diseases that is why it is very

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essential to improve the health conditions of the people by providing them essential medical
and health care services. Enhancing the education level of the minority community is also
very important to defeat the wide spreading diseases among the minority population. The
action plans and proper strategies are highly needed in order to remove the health disparities
among the population of the Black Americans.

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References
Am J Obstet Gynecol, C. D. (2020, March 8). Health Disparities: Definitions and
Measurements. Retrieved from The offciial website of ncbi:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2857600/
CL Erving, L. S. (2020). Psychologically Resilient, but Physically Vulnerable? Exploring the
Psychosocial Determinants of African American Women's Mental and Physical
Health. Sage Journals.
Cynthia Prather, T. R.-U. (2018). Racism, African American Women, and Their Sexual and
Reproductive Health: A Review of Historical and Contemporary Evidence and
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DeNoon, D. J. (2020, March 8). Why 7 Deadly Diseases Strike Blacks Most. Retrieved from
The website of Web MD: https://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-
pressure/features/why-7-deadly-diseases-strike-blacks-most#1
gov, H. c. (2020, March 8). Read the Affordable Care Act. Retrieved from The official
website of health care government of US: https://www.healthcare.gov/where-can-i-
read-the-affordable-care-act/
government, U. (2020, March 8). The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
Retrieved from The website of healthcare: https://www.healthcare.gov/medicaid-
chip/childrens-health-insurance-program/
health, U. d. (2020, March 8). Profile: Black/African Americans. Retrieved from The official
website of US department of minority health:
https://www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=3&lvlid=61

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HEALTH DISPERITIES AND INEQUALITIES IN BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICANS
IC Williams, O. C. (2018). The role of perceived discrimination and other psychosocial
factors in explaining diabetes distress among older African American and White
adults. Sage Journals, 99-104.
K Patel, J. G. (2020). Factors Influencing Recommended Cancer Screening in Low-Income
African American Women in Tennessee. Ethnic Health Disparities, 129-136.
NCBI. (2020, March 8). Legislative Actions to Reduce Health Disparities. Retrieved from
The official website of NCBI: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK114237/
prevention, C. f. (2020, March 8). CDC Health Disparities & Inequalities Report (CHDIR).
Retrieved from The official website of CDC:
https://www.cdc.gov/minorityhealth/CHDIReport.html
Services, U. D. (2020, March 8). Health Care. Retrieved from The webiste of US department
of Health & Human Services: https://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/index.html
services, U. d. (2020, March 8). HHS ACTION PLAN TO REDUCE RACIAL AND ETHNIC
HEALTH DISPARITIES: IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS REPORT 2011-2014.
Retrieved from The official website of US department: https://aspe.hhs.gov/basic-
report/hhs-action-plan-reduce-racial-and-ethnic-health-disparities-implementation-
progress-report-2011-2014
Study.com. (2020, March 8). US Health Disparities: Definition, Causes, & Examples.
Retrieved from Teh official website of study.com:
https://study.com/academy/lesson/us-health-disparities-definition-causes-
examples.html
TAYLOR, J. (2019, December 19). Racism, Inequality, and Health Care for African
Americans. Retrieved from The official website of 'Teh country foundation':

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https://tcf.org/content/report/racism-inequality-health-care-african-americans/?
session=1