Ethical Health Care
The health disparity in the U.S is the consequence of many factors both preventable and non-preventable. Despite the fact that most of the health care providers may dislike being prejudicial, biased and approaches are still existent among health care providers. In fact, in some cases, the health care providers are hardly aware that they are prejudicial towards their patients (Staff, 2017). A study has revealed that prejudice and bias from health care providers is one of the reasons for health disparity.
From the study of 720 physicians, the researcher found out that the race and the sex of the patient influenced how the doctors were giving care to the patients. The study revealed that physicians were less likely to recommend cardiac catheterization for black women as compared to white women, white men, and black men. The study revealed that African American stereotypes led to either a positive or negative impression in the health care providers. The health care provider found it easier and more convenient to give care to patients from races, religions and ethnic groups that were similar to theirs. Such practices unethical and contributes to having a huge disparity in the health of people in the country (Schulman et al., 2012).
The research further revealed that biases against minority groups, the substantial uncertainty when health care providers deal with patients from a minority group (Staff, 2017). Some health care providers lack the ability to understand patients from other ethnic groups. All these amounts to unfairness and discrimination against the patients for a different race or ethnic group to the health care provider (Schulman et al., 2012). The study recommended training for the staff to be more culturally competent. Such prejudice and bias were a cause of the disparities noted between the different racial groups in the country.
References
Schulman, K., Berlin, J., Harless, W., Kerner, J., Sistrunk, S., & Gersh, B. et al. (2012). The Effect of Race and Sex on Physicians’ Recommendations for Cardiac Catheterization. New England Journal Of Medicine, 340(8), 618-626. doi:10.1056/nejm199902253400806
Staff, M. (2017). Racial and Ethnic Disparity in Diabetes Care | Minority Nurse. Minoritynurse.com. Retrieved 18 February 2017, from http://minoritynurse.com/racial-and-ethnic-disparity-in-diabetes-care/
