Case Study
Your Name (First M. Last)
School or Institution Name (University at Place or Town, State)
How can legislation address disparities in health care provisions?
A country runs smoothly because of the legislative policies that are being made by taking an in-depth analysis of all the ethnic groups so that policies could be made for the goodwill of all the groups, but this was quite a difficult task, as people used to making a boundary line between them on the basis of the race or ethnic groups. Taking a look at past, it won’t be wrong to say that in the past, no attention was being paid towards the making of legislation that would particularly address disparities in health care provision, but with the advancement of time, there came a change and governments started taking this matter seriously. Researches show that some racial/ethnic groups are more likely to have short lives or maybe they are going to have sicker life than the rest of the racial groups and this was because of discrimination in providing healthcare services. Many researches have suggested that authorities should make legislation by taking this fact into consideration that there could be racial or ethnic groups who may be at more risk of developing a disease than other groups, so it is the responsibility of state to make some policies that would be addressing the issue of disparities in health care areas. State policymakers should pass some bills that would eliminate racial/ethnic disparities.
Legislative body could address disparities in the case of health care disparities by making bills that would assure safety to the people of all races by promoting health equity over health disparities. From this case study, it should be seen that Ladenheim and Groman struggled hard to take out information about any legislation that was being proposed before the year 2002. By taking a look at the given case study, it could be said that legislation can efficiently address disparities in healthcare provision by supporting and promoting those governmental infrastructures that would provide useful suggestions and resources for eliminating the racial/ethnic health disparities. Every state should take this fact in consideration that has been given by experts after research that many of the racial and ethnic groups are more at the risk of healthcare issues.
Other many factors, affect health of people as research proved that demographic difference also make some people more sensitive towards health care issues and they need more attention than the rest of the people, so every state should make some policies that would treat all the races equally when it comes to health care provision. Legislative can play a crucial role as it is the legislative body that decides what rules and regulations are going to be observed in a country. It is the right of all the individuals to get some healthcare services no matter from which race or ethnic group one belongs to. Taking a look at the issue of health disparity, a strange thing has been noticed that there is a massive difference between the life expectancy age between white, black American and white and black American females. The government should make such policies and legislation that would help government in minimizing this gap of life expectancy between the races and certain ethnic groups. Such legislation should be made in which there would be more than one disease under consideration (Crepaz,et,al,2018). Legislation should come at the front foot to protect various races and ethnic groups that may be at the target and are not be regarded as necessary as another ethnic group, when it comes to providing them with healthcare service.
Various study results would help states in making policies and shaping future advocacy. Another major thing that legislation could use for eliminating the racial/ethnic disparities is that bills should be designed in a way that the workforce at health centers would have diversity. Legislation should also work on making policies that would improve the cultural competency in all the healthcare institutions and health care practitioners. So as a whole it could be said that leadership is going to decide how the disparity in health care provision is going to be controlled.
Based on this case study how should states tailor legislation to most effectively address health disparities?
Tailoring is the term that is used in American legislature as it is a legal principle which spots a light on the invoking of constitutional cases and laws in which specifically there are cases of equal rights that are claimed by minority groups (Canedo,et,al,2018). Tailoring is mainly concerned with cases that involve racial discrimination by creating racial distinctions among people. By taking a look at the given case study, it could be said that few states took this issue seriously and allowed its legislation to introduce bills that would be related to racial/ethnic health disparities. If there would be more bills that would allow research upon the topic of racial/ethnic group, it would give more chances to the government and scholars to understand the factors and reason why there is a gap in the health care provision when it comes to various races.
For example, there have been done many types of research that torchlight on the fact that there is a gap in the life expectancy between white Americans and black American's. This gap shows that there is something wrong at the bottom despite accepting the fact naturally there are some ethnic groups who face more health crisis, and there are some demographic areas as well that affects the age of people living there, even socio-economic status also define life expectancy of people, but still there are two main things that government or states should keep in mind while making the legislation (Betancourt,et,al,2016). First, it is the social, moral and political duty of a state to provide all the citizens same facilities and sense of security no matter from which race or ethnic group they belong to. Secondly, for showing equality to all the people and creating in them harmony, states should make some policies and bills that would support people morally. Though many issues are valid as well to some extent, there are health departments that are struggling hard for eliminating the racial/ethnic disparities, but they're facing many issues that are like a hurdle for them in identification and monitoring of health care disparities.
From the given case study it could be seen that states tailor legislation could play one of the primary role for providing the minorities their equal rights as it is the essential duty of tailor legislation to provide equal protection. Though legislation as a whole could help in eliminating the racial difference in providing health care services, tailor legislation could make many commissions that would specifically deal with the elimination of the racial and ethnic disparities in health care provision.
States tailor legislation can effectively address health disparities because a state assigns a specific task to tailor legislation that it has to deal with the protection of minorities rights whether it is related to an issue of discrimination. Legal mapping that has been done from 2002-201, investigated bills that were proposed and enacted. From the analysis of the given case study, it could be said tailor legislation has not played its role in the equal protection of the minor groups, but states tailor has the authority to raise voice against any racial or ethnic disparities of health care provision. Many factors contribute to the healthcare disparities, and these factors include poverty, socio-economic conditions, culture and most importantly social injustice that could be observed in this case study at the top. There are no laws or bills that are going to take a notice of the insurance companies that are discriminating people on the basis of the race and ethnic group in USA. It could be seen that when it comes to health care that people are given on the basis of their race, non-Hispanic whites, African Americans and people who belonged to Hispanic origin are being given lower rates of coverage at all ages (Alcalá,et,al,2018).
From the given case study it could be viewed that there is a small ratio of bills that have been proposed, and the ratio of bills that became the laws is even lower, so it could be witnessed that most effective role for protecting the minor groups and eliminating racial/ethnic disparities in health care provision, this role could be best played by states tailor legislation who has been assigned the only task of protecting rights of people who are targeted on the basis of racial discrimination by creating racial distinctions.
How does a lack of reliable data impact the development of legislation related to the health disparities?
There is a gap in the state and a limitation that checks the practitioners for performing their duties and that gap is known as the lack of reliable and quality data that limits the ability of health departments for providing equal health care services to all races and ethnic groups. It has been seen that due to the lack of reliable data it becomes challenging for the health care departments to identify racial/ethnic health disparities. It is quite logical that if the health departments are going to lack the data that would communicate them about who, when, where and how is being targeted because of his race or ethnic group, they would not perform well. It is quite essential to have a quality data of people, and there have been proposed many bills that are only related to the health care disparities data collection (Xie,et,al,2019). These bills are being proposed for having an improved form of reliable data that could be analyzed for extracting the required information. This action is taken by many of the states as it would improve the level of monitoring the data and having useful planning because some legislation needs annual reporting on the health care disparities.
Reliable data is essential for studying the healthcare disparities as until one is going to have the quality data about the racial/ethnic disparities in health care provision no health care department could analyze and evaluate findings that are needed for state legislation. There is another important thing that such legislation that targets the racial/ethnic disparities should also help and support multi-disciplinary and cross-sector approaches as health care systems and departments alone cannot control racial/ethnic health disparities. Lack of reliable data severely affects the making of legislation as unless a problem is going to be detected successfully; it is not possible to devise out a possible solution. It is not difficult to understand that when there would be no reliable data regarding racial/ ethnic disparities in health care provision, it won' be possible to make effective legislation that would help in saving people from this social injustice as they may not be getting equality in health care provision. It would not be effective at all to form legislation without having reliable and quality data as in such a case the real issues are not going to be catered and this would be waste as time, efforts and money.
For making useful and practical laws, it is most important to get things that are needed for understanding the actual situations of any area. Lack of reliable data is one of the main concerns that are not letting the policymakers to make effective legislation that would treat people equally and would check social injustice at all levels. By taking in consideration the given case study, it could also be analyzed that there are some extremists who intentionally does not want peace in society and wants to violate the right of people so that they cannot get quality health care services. Some people does not want the policymakers to have access to the reliable data so that they could make proper legislation for protecting the rights of oppressed people who are being discriminated because of their race/ethnic group. Lack of reliable data makes many hurdles in the way of making effective policy or bill. Lack of reliable data makes the policymakers insecure that if they are going to make legislation without having complete and trustworthy data, whether it would be useful or not. The doubts that about the credibility of legislation arise in the mind of policymakers make them reluctant to making legislation without having reliable data for their assistance.
What ethical issues are caused by racial health disparities at the state level? Is legislation the most appropriate way of addressing these issues?
After having an in-depth analysis of this case study and having an eye on conditions of people who used to be targeted for of discrimination just because of their race and ethnic group it could be said that creating lines between people on the basis of their color, creed, and race would demotivate and discourage people who expect a lot from states. People who belong to different races and ethnic groups always depend on the legislation for the protection of their rights. Racial/ethnic disparities in the matter health care provision would cause many ethical issues. Health disparities from the race and ethnic groups are morally wrong as it is exemplified historical injustice. Ethics are being taught in all societies and it the fundamental right of every individual to have all the necessary facilities. Ethics teaches that all should are equal and should be treated on equal grounds.
All theories of ethics emphasize that whether it theory of virtue or utilitarian theory all teach that all people are equal and should be treated equally without any racial discrimination disparity is wrong. There would arise many ethical issues on the state level such as race or ethnic group that would be targeted would have negatives association with these issues. Ethical issues that may develop in society because of the racial disparity
Yes, legislation is one of the most appropriate ways of addressing ethical issues as the power that legislation has is difficult to oppose. One of the fundamental ethical teachings is to treat all the individuals on equal ground no as all the individuals are created by one creator, so all are one. Discrimination among people is something that makes a person fall from the standard of humanity. Equality should be observed in all walks of life and at all level but there are certain areas where observed equality becomes most significant, and one of these areas is health care. People when on the basis of their race had to face health care disparities there starting developing some ethical issues in society at a greater scale, such as the people who are being targeted and are not given healthcare services like people of other races/ethnic groups they feel insecure and feelings of inferiority takes them over and these feelings makes them rebels (Fiscella,et,al,2016). Government impose a burden of medical taxes on all the individual despite point out their races or ethnic groups but there comes a time of acquiring health care people despite having to pay all the taxes to have to face various issues because of their color and identity
The fact cannot be denied that legislator is one of the most effective and feasible ways of dealing with the ethical issues that many people face as it is the legislation that can provide all the health care providers guidance how to treat people of different race. Legislation can mold the attitude of service providers who may be the leading cause of health care disparities. The legislation could be used only for reforming this act of social injustice as only legislation could reach all people. Though there could be other options as well for making solving the ethical issues that people face on the basis of their racial/ethnic identity. Ethical issues that could be easily witnessed in a society where people are not given the same kind of medical services just because, they belong to other ethnic groups are they would be forced to think that they are not like others who are being given a quality treatment (Basu,et,al,2018). By keeping the given case study in mind, it could be said that people are being made targets of health care disparity mainly because they know that they would not be questioned about it as there are only a few laws or policies that come to rescue that person (Attina,et,al,2019). Ethical issues that people faces are they are oppressed and as a result of this oppression that their minds are being occupied with the questions that are they not human? Don't they deserve to be given the same health care as others are getting? Ethics is teaching us to be fair no matter if one has to face something issue morality and ethics demands to be fair and transparent with everyone. Ethical issues mainly that arise because of health care disparity involve turning someone from a good being into an evil being who started hating people thinking that there is a racial boundary between them. Another ethical issue that has been seen from this case study is that people are being guided through ethics and are being given a choice to do good or bad with people. In ethics, there is a theory called the theory of virtue that emphasizes the element of ethical thinking rather than following the rules. Ethics stress upon the fact that people are being given the knowledge, wisdom, and choice between right and wrong. It depends on the people whether they are going to choose good and would treat all people on an equal level or whether they are going to choose bad and would promote injustice in society. Ethical issues range from insurance coverage to ill-treatment of people. It has been seen that even the black American women have to face many ethical issues when they seek health care providers during their pregnancy. So as a whole it could be concluded that ethics teach all to respect humanity no matter from which area, caste, race and ethnic group one belongs to. It is sufficient enough for a quality provider of health care service that a person is human and deserves to be treated with love, care, and respect. Ethics should be given top position when it comes to health related issues as it may prove the matter of life or death for a person so despite looking at which group one belongs everyone should give more attention to humanity. This technique would help for resolving all the ethical issues.
References:
Alcalá, H. E., & Cook, D. M. (2018). Racial Discrimination in Health Care and Utilization of Health Care: a Cross-sectional Study of California Adults. Journal of general internal medicine, 33(10), 1760-1767.
Attina, T. M., Malits, J., Naidu, M., & Trasande, L. (2019). Racial/ethnic disparities in disease burden and costs related to exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the United States: an exploratory analysis. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 108, 34-43.
Basu, J., Hanchate, A., & Bierman, A. (2018). Racial/ethnic disparities in readmissions in US hospitals: the role of insurance coverage. INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 55, 0046958018774180.
Betancourt, J. R., Green, A. R., Carrillo, J. E., & Owusu Ananeh-Firempong, I. I. (2016). Defining cultural competence: a practical framework for addressing racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care. Public health reports.
Canedo, J. R., Miller, S. T., Schlundt, D., Fadden, M. K., & Sanderson, M. (2018). Racial/ethnic disparities in diabetes quality of care: the role of healthcare access and socioeconomic status. Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities, 5(1), 7-14.
Crepaz, N., Dong, X., Wang, X., Hernandez, A. L., & Hall, H. I. (2018). Racial and ethnic disparities in sustained viral suppression and transmission risk potential among persons receiving HIV care—the United States, 2014. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 67(4), 113.
Fiscella, K., & Sanders, M. R. (2016). Racial and ethnic disparities in the quality of health care. Annual review of public health, 37, 375-394.
National Center for Health Statistics (US. (2016). Health, United States, 2015: with a unique feature on racial and ethnic health disparities.
Xie, Z., Clair, P. S., Goldman, D. P., & Joyce, G. (2019). Racial and ethnic disparities in medication adherence among privately insured patients in the United States. PloS one, 14(2), e0212117.
