Advocacy Letter

Audra Wickham

HCM 590 Health Policy and Evaluation

Module 6 - Advocacy Paper

Professor Christine Gordon

Reducing disparities, which are “persistent in all national priorities”

Diversity and Health Disparities

Diversity, in the context of health, refers to numerous ways in which individuals and groups differ in their beliefs, behaviors, values, backgrounds, preferences, language, culture, ethnicity, race and biology. “Diversity also exist with regards to the economic well-being of individuals, as measured through socioeconomic status” (Issel, 2009). There are three main areas that are affected by diversity, these measurements are done during planning and evaluating of the health program, design and implementation of the health program intervention, and the healthcare organization and program itself, including cultural competency and coalition formation (Issel, 2009). Seeking the necessary measures are imperative when addressing the disparities in health, such issues can be addressed through nationwide education campaigns, alignment of state education goals, and creation of links between concerned groups to better the distribution of education to impoverished groups and minorities. In this paper, I will discuss the existing factors, the challenges and opportunities, the differences and other factors that exist in the disparity in healthcare.

The existing factors in health care disparity

The Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education Act of 2000 refers to the health disparity population as “a population where there is a significant disparity in the overall rate of disease incidence, prevalence morbidity, mortality or survival rates in the population as compared to the health status of the general population” (nih.gov). The population that faces health disparities experience higher rates of diseases such as cancer, heart disease, other diseases and conditions. They also experience higher rates of infant mortality, higher rates of...