Health Disparities
What is the leading cause of health disparities in rural areas?
Lack of healthcare infrastructure and provider shortages
What is one of the most significant barriers to timely healthcare?
Lack of insurance coverage.
What is the relationship between insurance coverage and preventive care?
Insurance increases the use of preventive services.
What is a significant outcome of long wait times for healthcare?
Poorer health outcomes and financial burden.
Name one strategy to reduce health disparities.
Expanding Medicaid and dental insurance coverage.
Racial/ethnic with highest rate of difficulties accessing health care
Hispanic Adults (79% worse access compared to non-Hispanic Whites)
What percentage of uninsured adults could not get timely care in 2017?
33.3%
What percentage of low-income households had private insurance in 2019?
35.8%
What percentage of adults in large fringe metro areas received timely care in 2017?
88.3%
How can healthcare providers improve access for underserved populations?
By offering extended office hours and telehealth options.
What percentage of people in poor households had access to ongoing care in 2019?
84.7%
What is meant by "timely access to care"?
The ability to get medical appointments or care without delays.
What impact does dental insurance have on overall health?
It reduces risks of heart disease, diabetes, and untreated oral conditions
How does geographic location affect timely access to care?
Rural areas face greater delays due to fewer healthcare providers and longer travel times.
What role does cultural competence play in reducing disparities?
It ensures care is respectful of and responsive to diverse cultural needs.
How does systemic racism contribute to health disparities?
It limits access to resources, creates mistrust in the system, and leads to unequal treatment.
Why is access to a usual source of care important?
It increases trust, preventive care, and chronic condition management.
What group was most likely to lack dental insurance in 2018?
People in rural (noncore) areas—only 48.2% had dental insurance
What percentage of children from poor households were uninsured in 2021?
6.9%
How can technology improve healthcare access?
Through telemedicine and electronic health record sharing.
What percentage of Black adults sometimes or never got care as soon as needed in 2017?
18.2%
How did the difficulty in contacting providers during regular hours change from 2002–2018?
It decreased from 19.1% to 15.5%
Which racial group was most likely to have dual-eligible insurance in 2019?
Asian adults (22.7%)
How does public insurance compare to private insurance for timely access to care?
Public insurance patients report greater delays than private insurance patients.
Why is addressing social determinants of health important?
They influence 80% of health outcomes, including housing, education, and employment.