Equity: Health Disparities, Social Determinants and Vulnerable Populations
Introduction
The health of a community is determined by many factors besides the quality of medical care. Health disparities are differences in health or health-related outcomes associated with a socio-economic or environmental disadvantage. This module will examine economics, education, health care access and health outcomes for a racial and ethnic minorities, and it will also explore disparities related to gender and age (both young and old).
We will also briefly discuss mental health with a focus on finance, access and stigma. Stigma for persons with mental illness and substance use disorders is an enormous problem which prevents people from seeking care, changes the way they perceive themselves, and affects how they are treated by others.
Learning Objectives
- Identify vulnerability characteristics such as predisposing, facilitating and need with examples.
- Articulate the needs of vulnerable populations based on race, ethnic, socioeconomic, and age demographics that impact special groups within the AHCS.
- Describe the challenges in providing services for the elderly population.
- Differentiate between the roles of Medicare and Medicaid in funding long term care.
- Describe community-based alternatives to institutionalization with the example of Commonwealth Care Alliance.
- Describe the role of the criminal justice system in care for substance use disorders and serious mental illness.
- Identify key components of population-based needs for mental health disorders and some of the challenges in providing services.