Identification of health Disparities
The case represents the elderly population, Henry Williams, who suffer O2 nasal cannula
after retirement from the Transit Department. The patient perceives social and economic changes
that have adversely affected his health as well as mental wellbeing of his wife. Health care
disparities entail differences that manifest in specific groups to the extent of limiting full health
potential; thus, increasing disease burden mortality rate (Baciu et al., 2017). The retirement
subjected the patient into the challenge of widening disparity in access to healthcare and
insufficient health coverage. The economic and social problems build on the increased cost of
health care that demand out of pocket expenses. Sadly, the patient has lost his loved one and the
only son who would be providing social support and financial support. The patient proves
insufficient insurance cover by showing doubt on the ability to pay the cost of admission to the
hospital.
Impact of the Disparities to the Patient’s Health Care
Health care disparity is elemental in the fact that his wife has not been treated for a long
time while the health needs of the patient continue to accumulate and unmet. The patient is
already suffering from high blood pressure and cholesterol. These conditions pose the patient to
the risks of coronary heart disease. Cholesterol variability is an independent factor for a possible
death from cardiovascular diseases (Messerli et al., 2017). Despite the patient claiming
continuous use of blood pressure and cholesterol pills he still suffers conditions that demand
critical care. Besides, the patient lives with his wife despite having psychological problems. If
they had access to health care, they would have outdoor care provider to offer psychiatric
HEALTH CARE DESPERITIES
services. Most probably, the patient has not been attending clinical checkups. At the same time
the family has no access to apartments that provide nursing care. Indeed, a qualified nurse has to
volunteer to care for the patient’s wife since they do not have insurance plans to cover for mental
care expenses. As a result, the wife continues suffering mental illness that increases anxiety and
frustration to the patient. The medical support might not be provided adequately since the patient
seems to worry about its inadequacy.
The implication of the Disparity to the Society and Individuals
Ineffective health care management is a threat to individual patients and society.
Relatively, the disparity in health care access reduces the quality of life and life expectancy for
the patients. When this situation affects the aged, it implies disproportion in health care
facilities. Health care is a human right, and high cost beyond ability of the elderly is a social
injustice in the health sector. From a broader perspective, the aged from minority groups suffer
more from health care access disparity compared to the whites. For example, an African
American might have the same insurance cover with the whites but continues to suffer
inadequate medication. Therefore, access to quality health care is bound to socio-economic
differences founded on racial identity. In health care financing, increase in cost affects
disadvantaged groups more than the general population since they have to spend more on
insurance (Yamada et al., 2015). The retired individuals have lower income than the young and
working individuals, which makes them more venerable to health care access and insurance
disparities.
Possible Solution to the Disparities
HEALTH CARE DESPERITIES
Improving the situation requires policymakers to develop implement policies after
assessing multiple factors that will enhance access and affordability of health care. The aged
population has lower income, and their insurance plans might not cater to all of their needs that
are housing, health, and lifestyle. The most appropriate is to establish structural intervention that
by reforming policies to eliminate health care disparities based on conditions in which people are
born, work and age (Brown et al., 2019). In this case, the patients suffer financial challenges
since he lacked an effective saving plan before retirement. The government has a role of ensuring
that employment plans cater to the future of employees by having a sound retirement plan.
Savings at old age would be source of income to cover lifestyle, housing, and health care.
Relating Patient to Relevant Health People 2020 (HP 202o) Goals
The condition of the patient is a concern for the HP 2020, which focuses on addressing
high priority health issues. The first goal for HP 2020 is to achieve equity, eliminate disparities,
and improve health care for all groups (Abu-Saad, Avni & Kalter-Leibovici, 2018). Health care
disparity is bound to low socioeconomic status of the patient. Second HP 2020 aims at promoting
quality of life, health development and health behaviors across all life stages (Abu-Saad, Avni &
Kalter-Leibovici, 2018). The patient encounters health care disparities since he is among the
aged with low income.
Impact and Implication of HP 2020 Goals to the Patient
The patient is considered venerable to health care disparities and might be prioritized in
extension of affordable health care. The plan provides for an opportunity to offer social support
to the aged since it considers health care as life concern despite the age. These changes will be
achieved if the federal government implement patient-based policy formulation system in health
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care to identify the challenges encountered by the individuals. Also, the federal government
should collaborate with private sector in collection of data and extension of services in
overreaching these goals.
The patient encounters social and financial challenges that extend to health care
disparities. As a result, the insurance and access to health care services are insufficient to the
extent of accelerating worsening if his health condition. The desperation has contributed to
development of mental illness by the wife. The government has a role in initiating structural
intervention to eliminate the disparities from the basis. HP 2020 would affect the patient
positively since it sets goals that cater for the aged. The cost of health care services would
decrease due to effective insurance plans. However, the government should collaborate with the
private sector and implement health care policies through patient-based perspective.
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References
Abu-Saad, K., Avni, S., & Kalter-Leibovici, O. (2018). Health disparities monitoring in the US:
lessons for monitoring efforts in Israel and other countries. Israel Journal of health policy
research, 7(1), 14.
Baciu, A., Negussie, Y., Geller, A., Weinstein, J. N., & National Academies of Sciences,
Engineering, and Medicine. (2017). The State of Health Disparities in the United States.
In Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity. National Academies Press (US).
Brown, A. F., Ma, G. X., Miranda, J., Eng, E., Castille, D., Brockie, T., … & Trinh-Shevrin, C.
(2019). Structural interventions to reduce and eliminate health disparities. American
journal of public health, 109(S1), S72-S78.
Messerli, F. H., Fischer, U., Rimoldi, S. F., & Bangalore, S. (2017). Hypertension control and
cardiovascular disease. The Lancet, 389 (10065), 153.
Ng, J. H., Ward, L. M., Shea, M., Hart, L., Guerino, P., & Scholle, S. H. (2019). Explaining the
Relationship Between Minority Group Status and Health Disparities: A Review of
Selected Concepts. Health Equity, 3(1), 47-60.
Yamada, T., Chen, C. C., Murata, C., Hirai, H., Ojima, T., & Kondo, K. (2015). Access disparity
and health inequality of the elderly: unmet needs and delayed healthcare. International
journal of environmental research and public health, 12(2), 1745-1772.