Factors Contributing to Health Inequity
The world has undergone rapid and dynamic transforming changes in the recent times with the widespread development and evolution of novel technologies and innovation. Healthcare sector is an important domain in this regard that has witnessed major reforms and changes crucial for ensuring the god health and wellbeing of the concerned persons. However, since its inception, there have been persistent differences that have often culminated in generating systemic disparities concerning health outcomes.
These differences have lead to health inequities that have been identified as a global concern in modern days. Stark contrasts in the provision of healthcare facilities and distribution of health resources among diverse population groups often define the health inequities. Social conditions pertaining to the situations where people are born, thrive, work and age have been attributed to give rise to such differences in addition to other factors related to geographical and environmental determinants capable of mitigation through adequate human interventions (Bartley, 2016). The concept of the common good accounting for holistic development of an individual is often ignored under such circumstances, instead undue advantage and biased treatments are exercised by the privileged class in contrast to the disadvantaged group.
Complex as well as integrated and overlapping social structures in conjunction with economic systems that constitute the social determinants of health are held responsible for harboring health inequities. The Catholic Social Teaching (CST) Principles and understanding of the common good for the betterment of everyone is perpetually denounced resulting in emanation of adverse consequences. In order to set up equality, it is essential to follow the virtues of CST principles and develop strategies accordingly that might help to combat effectively the existing condition (Yamin & Norheim, 2014). Therefore, in the following assignment critique will be done pertinent to the global issue of health inequity and subsequently propositions will be made with regards to the ways that might act to address the challenges associated with the issue.
Health inequity has garnered the attention of the people in authority as well as common mass since quite some time. There have been ongoing efforts to address this issue of global concern so that all enjoy equal opportunities in terms of healthcare. Measures for fostering prospects for change have been affixed to political changes in the global scenario through introduction of definite norms, policies and practices. Commitments for global solidarity as well as shared responsibilities through global governance have been suggested as an effective way to mitigate the problem (Ottersen et al., 2014).
Further efforts to narrow the gap in health resources have focused on the gender of the persons affected. Women and children who are most vulnerable to encounter the consequences for health inequity have been attended to so that child mortality rates and other disease conditions may be combated successfully. Intervention coverage included family planning and other relevant measures that might account effectively for deft handling of the situation. Continuous monitoring and transnational efforts have been solicited to produce the desired outcomes relevant to women and children that in turn stand for amelioration of the health disparity (Requejo et al., 2015).
Efforts to Address Health Inequity
Attainment of optimum health outcomes for everyone alike has been indicated to be dependent on the extent of improvement in connection to the health in the concerned population alongside scope for fairer distribution of the health resources. Global justice in terms of health has been suggested through establishment of a Framework Convention on Global Health that helps in fulfillment of the desired goals so that right to health may be achieved properly (Friedman & Gostin, 2015). Pervasive health disadvantage also has been found to occur as a result of income related differences that have lead to differential health outcomes in the concerned population and assigned them the tags of developing or developed nation. Poorer health due to racial and ethnic minority has also been particularly alarming that have been attended to through collaborative strategies within the healthcare system (Woolf & Purnell, 2016).
Maintenance of health equity is found to be dependent upon several factors and a crucial component in this regard has been identified as safeguarding the CST principles. The inherent virtue of dignity is of paramount importance to visualize the society from a moral perspective that require deeper probe in the context of healthcare sector to allow for deeper introspection. However, not only the government level initiatives are sufficient to harbor the holistic benefits. Adequate pressure and efforts from the civil society is also imperative to procure the optimum results.
Persuasion for bringing change in health behavior has been recognizes as an effective mode of mitigating the chronic health conditions thereby reducing chances for health inequity. Behavioral health promotion strategies offer scope for preventing the risks of developing the chronic health conditions (Baum & Fisher, 2014). Succinct understanding and realization with respect to the attainment of common good is required to pave the way for health equity that might act to ameliorate the condition because of unequal distribution of health resources. Universal Health Coverage has been proposed to provide adequate resources for maintaining good health.
Affordable access to adequate health benefits through this coverage has been recommended as a mean of combating health inequity. Extensive cross departmental and interdisciplinary efforts in addition to specific and distinct budget allocation have also been recommended to bring forth optimal changes necessary to bridge the gap between health inequity and other associated factors. Besides these factors, recruitment of a robust healthcare workforce has also been identified as vital contributor to facilitate health equity (Schmidt, Gostin & Emanuel, 2015).
Further research has highlighted the need and significance of engaging patients actively in the healthcare facility to cause reformation of the healthcare industry. Necessary skills and attributes relevant to the individual are indispensable for generating better health outcomes, expenditures as well as patient experience. Customized provisions of healthcare to cater to the individual’s needs may be suitable to encourage better health outcomes and promotion of health parity in the concerned group (Hibbard & Greene, 2013).
Additional recommendations have been referred to in terms of advocacy and community engagement to foster health equity. Research has shown that extending coverage apart from rendering universally and holistic access in social health protection might act in favor of promoting health parity. Further, diminishing the poverty related issues alongside social exclusion and increasing policy adherence across various sectors might offer prudent resolution to the nagging problems. Provision of basic income security for all is an important contributor that has the potential to harbor positive results (Scheil-Adlung, 2014).
The Significance of the Common Good and CST Principles
Accentuated access to quality healthcare facilities and supporting for reduction in the health inequity has been found to be achieved through adoption of pragmatic strategy of diversifying the healthcare workforce. The nursing professionals are entrusted with the responsibility of carrying out their duties in accordance with the existing guidelines so that optimum benefits may be obtained that in turn might aid in mitigating the health inequity gap. The interdependency and highly integrated factors governing health equity play crucial roles in this context to minimize the gap (Williams et al., 2014).
Strengthening the development and timely evaluations of the nursing professionals contributions in executing their designated roles have been indicated to be fruitful in eliminating the health disparities. Another important strategy has been to increase the racial or ethnic diversity in case of nursing so that health equity may be attained through reduction of the health disparities (Phillips & Malone, 2014). Thus, it may be opined that a number of factors need to be considered diligently so that the throbbing issue of health inequity may be tackled effectively. Proper planning, execution and educational interventions through prudent decision making abilities and awareness on the part of the government as well as the public is required to steer the positive changes.
References
Bartley, M. (2016). Health inequality: an introduction to concepts, theories and methods. John Wiley & Sons.
Baum, F., & Fisher, M. (2014). Why behavioural health promotion endures despite its failure to reduce health inequities. Sociology of health & illness, 36(2), 213-225.
Friedman, E. A., & Gostin, L. O. (2015). Imagining global health with justice: in defense of the right to health. Health Care Analysis, 23(4), 308-329.
Hibbard, J. H., & Greene, J. (2013). What the evidence shows about patient activation: better health outcomes and care experiences; fewer data on costs. Health affairs, 32(2), 207-214.
Ottersen, O. P., Dasgupta, J., Blouin, C., Buss, P., Chongsuvivatwong, V., Frenk, J., … & Leaning, J. (2014). The political origins of health inequity: prospects for change. The Lancet, 383(9917), 630-667.
Phillips, J. M., & Malone, B. (2014). Increasing racial/ethnic diversity in nursing to reduce health disparities and achieve health equity. Public Health Reports, 129(1_suppl2), 45-50.
Requejo, J. H., Bryce, J., Barros, A. J., Berman, P., Bhutta, Z., Chopra, M., … & Mason, E. (2015). Countdown to 2015 and beyond: fulfilling the health agenda for women and children. The Lancet, 385(9966), 466-476.
Scheil-Adlung, X. (2014). Response to health inequity: the role of social protection in reducing poverty and achieving equity. Health promotion international, 29(suppl_1), i59-i67.
Schmidt, H., Gostin, L. O., & Emanuel, E. J. (2015). Public health, universal health coverage, and Sustainable Development Goals: can they coexist?.
Williams, S. D., Hansen, K., Smithey, M., Burnley, J., Koplitz, M., Koyama, K., … & Bakos, A. (2014). Using social determinants of health to link health workforce diversity, care quality and access, and health disparities to achieve health equity in nursing. Public Health Reports, 129(1_suppl2), 32-36.
Woolf, S. H., & Purnell, J. Q. (2016). The good life: working together to promote opportunity and improve population health and well-being. Jama, 315(16), 1706-1708.
Yamin, A. E., & Norheim, O. F. (2014). Taking equality seriously: applying human rights frameworks to priority setting in health. Human Rights Quarterly, 36(2), 296-324.
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