Dr. Crutchfield, what do people mean when they use the term “health disparity”?
Merriam-Webster defines disparity as “the state of being different.” The term “health disparities” refers to several conditions. It almost always refers to differences in groups relating to their socioeconomic status, race and/or gender. It can also mean differences in the presence of certain diseases within groups. It can mean the outcomes of disease treatment in these groups. It can mean the quality of health care and access to healthcare services that exist within these groups. Disparities can also be caused by a lack of efficiency within the healthcare system. As a result of the lack of efficiency, some studies (Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies) have speculated that approximately $50 billion are spent wastefully every year in the U.S. By reducing or eliminating health disparities, there could be a significant savings to the healthcare system accompanied by an overall increased quality of health care. Continue Reading →
Access to good health care essential for Black men and boys regardless of social class
By Charles Hallman
Racism historically has proven very unhealthy to Black males, says a Morehouse College School of Medicine community health professor. Dr. Henrie Treadwell’s new book, Beyond Stereotypes in Black and White (Praeger), examines among other things how racism impacts life opportunities for Black men and boys. “I think that is a real [important] question,” she said in a recent phone interview with the MSR.
Treadwell devotes the book’s fourth chapter to the actual impact of racism, which she states is too often at the center of many societal ills that face Black young men and follow them all through adulthood. “Racism really impacted the hiring practices and policies in this nation, and then…we add to that the criminal justice system that has incarcerated disproportionately African American boys and men and, when they are released, [they] still have the issues of employment,” she points out. Black males, regardless of income status, who find themselves in stressful environments produced by racism “still exist, and we need to come to grips with it,” says Treadwell. Continue Reading →