Health Disparities in the United States: Social Class, Race, Ethnicity, and Health

by Barr, Donald A.

• ISBN13: 9780801888212
• ISBN10: 0801888212
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-05-15
• Publisher: Johns Hopkins Univ Pr

Summary

The health care system in the United States has been called the best in the world, but many of its residents cannot afford or do not have access to adequate care. Health Disparities in the United States explores how socioeconomic status, race, and ethnic make-up affect health disparities; what the wide gulf in care and health outcomes means for the medical community, cultural subsets, and society at large; and how to address the issue effectively.Topics examined include:• The relationship between income and social status and health care and outcomes• The effect of race and ethnicity on health and the availability of care• Conscious, unconscious, and institutionalized bias in treatment options• How and when race and ethnicity should be taken into account in treating illness• Practical and practicable ideas for reducing health disparitiesAnalyzing the complex web of social forces that influence health outcomes in the United States, this book is a vital teaching tool and a comprehensive reference for social science and medical professionals.

Author Biography

Donald A. Barr, M.D., Ph.D., is an associate professor of sociology and the coordinator for the Curriculum in Health Policy at Stanford University. He has more than 30 years of experience as a medical practitioner and is the author of Introduction to U.S. Health Policy, second edition, also published by Johns Hopkins.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
Introduction to the Social Roots of Health Disparities	p. 1
What Is "Health"? How Should We Define It? How Should We Measure It?	p. 14
The Relationship between Socioeconomic Status and Health, or, "They Call It 'Poor Health' for a Reason"	p. 42
Understanding How Low Social Status Leads to Poor Health	p. 73
Race, Ethnicity, and Health	p. 105
Race/Ethnicity, Socioeconomic Status, and Health: Which Is More Important in Affecting Health Status?	p. 134
All Things Being Equal, Does Race/Ethnicity Affect How Physicians Treat Patients?	p. 169
Why Does Race/Ethnicity Affect the Way Physicians Treat Patients?	p. 200
When, If Ever, Is It Appropriate to Use a Patient's Race/Ethnicity to Guide Medical Decisions?	p. 228
What Should We Do to Reduce Health Disparities?	p. 247
References	p. 273
Index	p. 291
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