How can we reduce or eliminate health disparities?
There are different approaches by different countries to reduce or eliminate health disparities. In the European context, 5 distinct approaches have provided a means to reduce health disparities. They are:
- Targeting behaviors related to health: The United Kingdom has attempted to convince women earning low wages to quit smoking.
- Improving health access and options in deprived geographical locations: United Kingdom’s Health Action Zones
- Policies that initiate change: Sweden and the Netherlands have initiated policies to target poverty, smoking, and other factors that cause disparities in health.
- Community health care: Improving healthcare in small communities by motivating local communities to take an active role.
- Improving working and labour market conditions: Policies that ensure employment for everyone and favourable working conditions (e.g. in Sweden), help in reducing health disparities.
In India, health disparity reduction efforts have focused on reproductive and child health. In addition, in the 1990s, health disparities were observed in communicable and non-communicable diseases, nutrition, and mortality. In the twenty-first century, these disparities have been observed in connection to sexual health, health services, dental health, health risk factors, mental health, and non-communicable diseases. Some of the factors that influence health disparities and have been considered in the Indian context are:
- Income
- Education
- Gender
- Region
In India, certain other factors also play a minor role in propagating health disparities. They are:
- Religion
- Type of job
- Caste
In the US, affordable healthcare insurance, ability to use health care, and the effect of healthcare on ethnic and racial minority groups are factors to consider in creating policies to reduce health disparities.
Current status of Health Disparities
Health disparities are studied in 3 stages:
- Initially, you identify different health disparities – In such studies, differences in health outcomes in particular communities or due to economic status have been identified.
- Once, you spot the disparity, you try to locate the causes – The causes may be education level, the type of healthcare provider available, the geographical limitations to obtain good health services, or low socioeconomic background.
- Finally, how should you tackle and address the issues that cause the disparity? –
The United States has established a number of awareness programs and initiatives to tackle health disparities. For example, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) provides research initiatives (CURE program, Patient Navigation Research Program) in reducing cancer disparities. The NIH-sponsored Center for Aids Health Disparities Research (CAHDR) studies the cause for AIDS disparity in the minorities. Medline Plus and other government information websites provide the resources and literature to educate the public on different conditions and the need for a healthy lifestyle. Some of the health awareness campaigns are “Back-to-Sleep” and “Stroke Awareness Month”.
Similarly, in Europe and Canada, public opinion, a collective political consensus, and collecting evidence to review, share, and evaluate the data are the main strategies to formulate targeted health policies.
Policies in India focus on mother and child well-being but take into account the impact of economics, geography, and education on health disparities.
