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Frequent travelers can be described as “patients who have been admitted at least four times in 12 months” (Huang et al., 2020, paragraph 7). This pattern can indicate that the patient’s everyday life might not be going very well mentally, socially, or physically.

Reducing gaps in health is really important for making sure all patients get better and stay healthy, no matter where they come from. These gaps mean that some groups of people don’t get the good healthcare they should. We often see these gaps in people from poor backgrounds who don’t have much access to healthcare. A study by (O’Rourke & McDowell, 2018) found that “many African Americans don’t get the healthcare they need, they don’t use healthcare services enough, and they don’t always get good quality care, and they often don’t have good health insurance” (paragraph 3). Another study by (Hostetter & Klein, 2021) discovered that “African Americans often don’t get enough pain relief compared to white patients. Some medical students and doctors wrongly believe that Black people can handle pain better than white people” (paragraph 3). These money and health problems might explain why Shawn Billings and his dad are worried he won’t get the right medicine he needs.

It’s really important to treat all patients the same, no matter where they’re from. With Shawn, it’s important to think about his race, how much school he’s been to, what he knows about health, what he believes in, and what his family’s health history is like. When patients feel listened to and treated fairly, they’re more likely to use healthcare services and take care of themselves in the future.

Five good questions to ask are:

– What things do you think might be causing your migraines or making them worse?
– Have any doctors told you about any health problems you might have before?
– What do you usually do in a day?
– How have you been feeling mentally lately? Are you feeling sad, nervous, or angry?
– What kinds of food do you usually eat?

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     Frequent flyers can be defined as “patients who have been admitted at least four times in 12 months” (Huang et al., 2020, para 7). This phenomenon can be considered indicators of the patient’s less than optimal mental, social, and physical daily living conditions.

     Reducing health disparities is a key factor in improving patient outcomes and overall health for diverse backgrounds. Persistent health disparities have prevented certain populations from receiving the quality healthcare they deserve. These health disparities are commonly seen in individuals from low socioeconomic classes who have limited healthcare resources available to them. A study by (O’Rourke & McDowell, 2018) concluded that, “many African Americans experience healthcare disparities that result in limited access to healthcare, the underutilization of healthcare services, quality of care received, and having inadequate health insurance coverage” (para. 3). Another study by (Hostetter & Klein, 2021) found that, “African Americans are consistently underrated for pain relative to white patients; one revealed half of medical students and residents held one or more false beliefs about supposed biological differences between Black and white patients, like the former have higher pain tolerance than the latter” (para.3). These socioeconomic factors and health disparities can explain why Shawn Billings and his father are worried he might not receive the proper medication he needs.

     A non-biased approach is necessary when interacting with patients from diverse backgrounds. With Shawn, it is important to take into consideration; race consciousness, educational levels, health literacy, religious beliefs, and family history. When a patient feels like they are being heard and treated as an equal, they are more likely to be utilize healthcare resources to engage in their healthcare in the future.

Five target questions that would be appropriate to ask are:

1. What causative or environmental factors seem to initiate or exacerbate these migraines?
2. Have you been diagnosed with any conditions previously?
3. What is your day to day routine like?
4. How has your mental health been recently? Any depression, anxiety, nervousness, or irritability?
5. What is your usual diet like?

Citations

Hostetter, M., & Klein, S. (2021). Understanding and ameliorating medical mistrust among Black Americans. Commonwealth Fund. Retrieved March 8, 2023, from https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/newsletter-article/2021/jan/medical-mistrust-among-black-americansLinks to an external site.

Huang, M., Van der Borght, C., Leithaus, M., Flamaing, J., & Goderis, G. (2020, September 7). Patients’ perceptions of frequent hospital admissions: A qualitative interview study with older people above 65 years of age. BMC geriatrics. Retrieved March 8, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7487888/#:~:text=These%20’frequent%20flyers’%20can%20be,%25)%20%5B7%2C%208%5DLinks to an external site..

O’Rourke, M., & McDowell, M. (2018). Providing culturally competent care for African Americans . AANA. Retrieved March 8, 2023, from https://www.aana.com/docs/default-source/about-us-aana.com-web-documents-(all)/providing-culturally-competent-care-to-african-americans-jan-2018.pdf?sfvrsn=54115cb1_2

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