Assessing Healthcare Equity
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he last several years have shined a light on healthcare disparities in our community, most recently due to the pandemic. Since it has been quite relentless for many, some have experienced a lack of health equity more than others. With this, a push to improve health equity across healthcare is expanding throughout the country. “Health equity is the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health. Achieving this requires focused and ongoing societal efforts to address historical and contemporary injustices; overcome economic, social, and other obstacles to health and healthcare; and eliminate preventable health disparities,” states the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
This includes the need for expanding and removing social and economic obstacles that lead to inadequate health outcomes. Some barriers include unsafe or unhealthy environments, quality of housing, poverty, lack of access to jobs with health insurance, which can lead to a denial of needed healthcare for individuals. It has also been found that there is a lack of health equity for those with disabilities and for those who reside in rural communities. “Many people face such barriers and are prevented from accessing the care, services and resources they need to live a healthy life, often leaving minorities in communities impacted by disinvestment. As a result, many minorities experience limited access to healthy foods, lower quality education, difficulty earning a living wage and unsafe environments,” said Dr. Kelli Tice, Florida Blue chief health equity officer, in an interview. Tice continues, “At Florida Blue, we are working to collect and analyze data about members’ challenges, which allows us to better meet their needs, identify resources and create programs that are tailored to them. COVID-19 shines a spotlight on health disparities that exist among minority populations. In communities across the United States, minorities faced higher Photo by Karolina Grabowska, courtesy of Pexels
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