It’s a well-documented fact that Black communities across the United States face significant challenges in accessing quality healthcare compared to their white counterparts—a persistent issue that further exacerbates negative health outcomes within the community at large. In this first installment of our three-part series, we’ll explore the fundamental concepts of health disparities and their specific impact on Black Americans. Subsequent parts will delve into the resulting health outcomes and examine how travel allied health professionals can help address these issues. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), many Black families live in areas with limited access to medical facilities, contributing to lower life expectancy for Black people compared to White people. Join us as we unpack these critical healthcare challenges and potential solutions.
What are health disparities?
Simply put, health disparities are the preventable differences in health outcomes, access to healthcare, and quality of care experienced by different population groups. These disparities are intricately entwined with social, political, economic, and environmental factors, and disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minorities such as Black communities.
According to a 2017 report by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, health disparities for racial and ethnic minorities manifest in many different ways, including higher prevalence of chronic disease and premature death.
It’s critical to understand that there is no “one size fits all” pattern to health disparities. For example, according to the nonprofit health policy research organization KFF, Black and American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities have fared significantly worse than White communities when it comes to health status and outcomes, while Asian and Hispanic people fare better than their White, Black, or AIAN counterparts.
Understanding Health Disparities in Black Communities
Health disparities in Black communities are complex issues rooted in historical, social, and economic factors. The roots of these disparities can be traced back to the era of segregated hospitals in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which provided substandard care to Black patients. This systemic racism in healthcare was further exemplified by the infamous Tuskegee Syphilis Study (1932-1972), where treatment was unethically withheld from Black men, leading to long-lasting mistrust in the medical system. While the Civil Rights Act of 1964 officially desegregated hospitals, the effects of these historical injustices continue to impact healthcare access and outcomes for Black communities today.
The lived experiences of Black people in the United States have led to significant and measurable healthcare disparities, which manifest in various ways:
- Unequal Access to Medical Facilities
- According to a 2022 report published in HealthAffairs, rural areas in America with high Black populations were significantly further away from hospitals than rural areas with high White populations. Further backing up that point, a 2023 report published in ‘Frontiers in Public Health’ found that in 56 counties, primarily in the Southeastern U.S., Black people are significantly more likely than White people to live more than five miles away from the closest medical facility. This geographical disparity creates barriers to accessing timely and necessary healthcare.
- Disparities in Health Insurance Coverage
- Black people are more likely to be uninsured compared to White people, according to an analysis conducted by KFF. In fact, 10% of nonelderly Black people in America were uninsured in 2022, compared to 7% of nonelderly White people. This disparity in insurance coverage can lead to delayed or foregone care, exacerbating health issues.
- Disparities in Healthcare Quality
- Black adults in the United States are more likely than their White counterparts to say they were treated unfairly or with disrespect by a healthcare provider, according to a 2023 KFF study. What’s more, these groups are also more likely to report negative experiences with healthcare providers, like being refused medication they thought they needed. These disparities in treatment and perception can lead to mistrust in the healthcare system and reluctance to seek care.
- Disparities in Social Determinants of Health
- According to KFF, 21% of Black children face food insecurity, compared to only 6% of White children. Additionally, a report by the U.S. Department of the Treasury found that the median household income for Black workers in 2020 was roughly $46,000, compared to $75,000 for White households. These socioeconomic disparities can significantly impact access to healthcare, ability to afford quality care, and overall health status.
In the next part of our three-part series, we’ll explore how these factors translate into higher rates of chronic illnesses, increased mortality rates, and other specific health challenges disproportionately affecting Black communities.