Social Determinants that result in Health Disparities among African Americans

The world Health Organization defines social determinants as conditions that people were born and live in, which affect access to health and medical services (Braveman & Gottlieb, 2014). Substantial research evidence occasions health care disparities among African American communities. Typically, numerous social determinants impact the health care needs and access to medical services among African Americans. The first social determinant is economic stability. Economics plays a vital role in the access to health care, not only among African American but also across all communities globally. The rate of employment, poverty levels, food security, and housing stability are all constituents of economic stability.

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African American communities exhibit poor economic conditions with most households characterized as poor and economically unstable. This is occasioned by low rates of employment, which affects other life choices and health. Economic instability in this community results in unstable housing plans, poor sanitary levels, and food insecurity (Braveman & Gottlieb, 2014). These facets have a direct impact on the community’s lifestyle and wellness, which makes the community susceptible to diseases. Besides, the economic conditions limit access to medical and health services, as health care services are very costly today. This inhibits their access to medical care, hence the identified gap.

Second, racism and discrimination are a core social determinant of health among African Americans. These can be occasioned by racial residential segregation, which is a fundamental force of racial disparities in health. Racial residential segregation inhibits African Americans access to certain facilities and areas, hence the disparities in health (Williams & Collins, 2016). African Americans cannot access certain services because of their socioeconomic status, region, and other racial factors. These have resulted in inequitable distribution and access to medical care, hence the racial disparities identified among Black communities. Distribution of facilities and services on racial grounds predisposes African American communities to inadequate health care due to poor infrastructural mechanism, hence limited access to this vital element of life.

While the social determinants of health have substantial impacts on the community’s health choices and access to health care, various policy recommendations have been deployed to mitigate detrimental effects of these determinants. For instance, the Commission on Social Determinants of Health has recommended various methodologies to ensure global policy collaborations, advocacy, and awareness programs to impede the effects of social determinants on health (Sheiham, 2009). For instance, the commission is focused to research, understand, and gap the effects of such factors on health among African Americans. Some of the policy recommendations include improvement of living conditions, equitable distribution of resources and medical equipment, and advocacy to create awareness on good social practices.

This policy strategy advocates for equity from the start. Here, affected communities are taught to improve daily living conditions through sanitation, proper housing strategies, employment opportunities, and investment in sustainable development and growth projects. On the hand, recommendations to revitalize government and political forces will foster equitable distribution of power and resources, hence access to health care. These recommendations focus on creation of opportunities, education investment, and economic stability to ensure affordability of health care among all (Sheiham, 2009). Power and resource distribution will result in development projects that foster urbanization, development of infrastructural capabilities, and literacy, hence health equity. Policy recommendations to tackle discrimination and racial segregation propose health equity bills and treatment. This includes the universal health care bill, which will ensure the acquisition of medical insurance covers, breaking the economic instability inhibiting access to healthcare among African Americans.

References

Braveman, P., & Gottlieb, L. (2014). The social determinants of health: it’s time to consider the causes of the causes. Public health reports, 129(1_suppl2), 19-31.

Sheiham, A. (2009). Closing the gap in a generation: health equity through action on the social determinants of health. A report of the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH) 2008. Community Dent Health, 26(1), 2-3.

Williams, D. R., & Collins, C. (2016). Racial residential segregation: a fundamental cause of racial disparities in health. Public health reports.

https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/social-determinants-health

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/health_disparities.htm