Should the poor be held responsible for their health disparities? Why or why not
ID: 126345 • Letter: S
Question
Should the poor be held responsible for their health disparities? Why or why not?
What are some common stereotypes of the poor? How do these stereotypes contribute to the poor being held responsible for their health status?
What conditions in your community promote or hinder healthy choices?
In addition to the above, consider the input that research on women has lagged behind research on men. Many health treatments that address health risks for women are based on research conducted on men. With reference to your understanding of the healthcare system, mention the factors that determine whether the health treatments based on research on men will be successful with women
Explanation / Answer
Health disparities are those avoidable health differences that adversely affect the disadvantaged groups of the society, which in turn affect the well-being of the entire society. This is against the concept of equity. Income-based gaps in healthcare are seen in many countries. The US is ranked just behind Chile and Portugal in that scenario. The studies show that among the poorest third of Americans, 38.2% are in ‘fair or poor” health in comparison with 12.3% of the richest third.
The poor are not responsible for the health disparities that prevent them from actively participating in improving the society. The differences in health care sector actively withdraw them from full-fledged involvement in a democratic society. It is the responsibility of the society to improve the socially underprivileged groups. The government has to improve their contribution to fulfill the needs of the poor and make sure that the contributions reach the needy.
The people from low socioeconomic backgrounds are often portrayed as lazy, dishonest, disinterested in self-improvement and ignorant. It is commonly seen that children in the US understand individuals from low socioeconomic backgrounds negatively. The stereotypes influence the behavior of those individuals who possess the stereotypes. They themselves portray as deficient and morally bankrupt.
They may consider themselves as good for nothing or try to use their abilities to improve their social status and thereby ignoring health. The use of unhealthy and easily available foods are also commonly seen in underprivileged groups.
The conditions in the society also affect the healthy choices:
Health, Not Healthcare: Social conditions determine our need for healthcare
Distribution of resources in the society affects the well being of the people in different sectors of the society.
Racism has an influence on the distribution and accessibility of health care.
Stress: both social and personal determines the health of people in the society