RDQ #10 - reading questions chapter 10 PDF

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reading questions chapter 10...

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RDQ #10

Emily Lubas

1. It is said that the United States was built on diversity of its people because the strength and greatness of American lies in the diversity of its people. The US has been a safe haven for immigrants since it was founded. The US thrives on the differences in cultures and beliefs that make this country diverse. 2. The Office of Management and Budget’s Directive 15 is titled the “Race and Ethnic Standards for Federal Statistics and Administrative Reporting” and it presents brief rules for classifying persons into 4 racial categories, American Indian, Asian, black and white, and 2 ethnic categories, of hispanic origin and not of hispanic origin. 3. It is important for community health workers to be aware of the significant health disparities among various minority groups in the United States because the US population is and will continue to get more diverse. The impact of a more diverse population in relation to community health efforts will be important based on knowledge of past health issues and disparities. It must be made sure that advances in health are reaching the minorities to help close the health gap. 4. The significant findings of the 1985 landmark report, The Secretary’s Task Force Report on Black and Minority Health, first documented the health status disparities of minority groups in the US. It provided data documenting that minority populations, compared to the nation as a whole, experience higher rates of morbidity and mortality. It identified the 6 causes of death that counted for 80% of the excess mortality observed in minority groups such as infant mortality, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, homicide and accidents, and chemical dependency.

5. There are six priority areas in the Race and Health initiative. Infant mortality is the death before age 1. Black American infant death rate is more than two times that of white Americans. It is due to lack of prenatal care and low-birth-weight babies. Cancer is another factor and incidence and death rates are highest among black American for various types of cancer. Many disparities are attributed to lifestyle factors, late diagnosis, and access to healthcare. There is also less primary and secondary prevention in various minority groups. Cardiovascular disease death rates vary widely among racial and ethnic groups. Black Americans have higher rates from CHD and stroke. Hypertension prevalence is a risk factor that varies according to race and ethnicity. Black Americans tend to develop hypertension earlier in life than whites, and the reason for this is unknown. Diabetes has seen an overall prevalence in recent years in the US. There is a prevalence in those 20 and older varying in minority groups. There is also an increase in age-adjusted death rates in all racial and ethnic groups. This is significantly higher in minority groups. HIV/AIDS has a proportional distribution of cases which has increased in black Americans and Hispanics and decreased in white Americans. This is attributed to higher prevalence of unsafe or risky health behaviors, and lack of access to health care to provide early diagnosis and treatment. Adult and child immunization does not vary significantly by race or ethnicity. Older adult immunization rates are substantially lower in minority groups, even though an overall increase has occurred. 6. Socioeconomic status is considered the most influential single contributor to premature morbidity and mortality. The relationship between socioeconomic status and health can be described as gradient, the more the family income is above the poverty threshold, the more the health improves, and the greater the gap in income, the greater the gap in health.

Socioeconomic status is not a direct factor of bad health, but things that risk factors because of low socioeconomic status can result in lower health, like less access to healthcare. 7. It is important for community health professionals and workers to be culturally sensitive and competent because culture is a vital factor in both how community health professionals deliver services and how community members respond to the community health programs and preventive interventions. Different minority groups each have unique cultural traditions that must be respected if the solutions are to be successful. Cultural competence includes appropriate services offered to different groups to improve satisfaction and outcomes. It is important that health educators are able to communicate with different communities and understand how cultures influence health behaviors. 8. There are three kinds of power associated with empowerment. First is social power. An increase in social power brings access to bases of production such as information, knowledge and skills, participation in social organizations, and financial resources. The second is political power. Political power is more than just the right to vote, it is the power of voice and collective action. One voice does not affect change, it is the collective voice that can make things happen. The third is psychological power. Psychological power is an individual sense of potency demonstrated in self-confident behavior and is often the result in success of the first 2. 9. There is a disparity in health status for members of racial and ethnic minority groups because several minority groups can’t afford healthier food options or healthcare. There is a disparity in health status for members of LGBTQ because of mental issues such as

suicidal thoughts and fear due to stima, discrimination, and instiutional bias in the healthcare system....