Minority Health and Health Disparities in the 21st Century: A Review

Abstract

Powerful, complex relationships exist between health and biology, genetics, and individual behavior, and between health and health services, socioeconomic status, the physical environment, discrimination, racism, literacy levels, and legislative policies. These factors, which influence an individual’s or population’s health, are known as determinants of health. Today, health disparity is taking an in depth look at the differences in health status between different social groups, gender, race, ethnicity, education, income, disability, and sexual orientation. While on the other hand, health inequality is looking at the unjust and unfair treatment one gets because of their socioeconomic status and demographic area. Such a wide array of differences in health inequality and disparity is what contributes to the United States ranking in the bottom of industrialized western nations when it comes to life expectancy rate, and infant mortality rate. Even though over the years there have been great improvements and changes, there is still more work to be done to make health and equality for all.