Minority Health Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What are the health disparities that affect rural minority populations?
Answer: Poor health outcomes for African Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders are apparent when comparing their health indicators against those of the rest of the U.S. population. These populations experience higher rates of illness and death from health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, specific cancers, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, asthma, hepatitis B, and overweight and obesity.
Rural racial and ethnic minorities experience disparities related to access to care and limited economic opportunity, to name just a couple causes. Some research suggests that rural minorities experience more severe health disparities and access to care than urban minorities.
Question: Why do rural minority populations experience disproportionate health problems?
Answer: Minorities comprise only 15 percent of the total rural population and yet they account for 30 percent of the rural poor population. Minorities in rural areas face a myriad of problems that can affect their health ranging from chronic poverty, to a lack of stable medical care for migrant workers, and to language barriers experienced by newcomers to this country. According to the Office of Minority Health, National Partnership for Action the two major factors contributing to their disproportionate health problems are:
- Inadequate Access to Care
Barriers to care can result from economic, geographic, linguistic, cultural and health care financing issues. Even when minorities have similar levels of access to care, health insurance and education, the quality and intensity of health care they receive are often poor.
- Substandard Quality of Care
Lower quality care has many causes, including patient-provider miscommunication, provider discrimination, stereotyping or prejudice. Quality of care is usually rated on the four measures of effectiveness, patient safety, timeliness and patient centeredness.
Question: How are rural minority health disparities different from urban minority health disparities?
Answer: Rural minorities experience disparities in health and health care delivery, including access to care and culturally appropriate/competent services (i.e. language barriers, cultural barriers). Rural minorities also experience poorer health status, including diabetes, and higher mortality rates, such as unintentional/accidental death.
Question: What key organizations can provide me with health information and resources targeted toward minority populations?
Answer: Several federal government agencies within the Department of Health & Human Services work to eliminate the health disparities experienced by minority populations:
- Office of Minority Health Resource Center (OMHRC)
Dedicated to improving the health status of racial and ethnic minorities, eliminating health disparities, and achieving health equity in the United States
- National Partnership for Action (NPA)
Works to mobilize and connect individuals and organizations across the country to create a Nation free of health disparities, with quality health outcomes for all people
- Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Has had a longstanding concern with the diverse health needs of rural minority populations and provides information, expertise and grant opportunities to address the inequities found in rural minority health populations
- Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities (OMHD)
Aims to accelerate CDC’s health impact in the U.S population and to eliminate health disparities for vulnerable populations as defined by race/ethnicity, socio-economic status, geography, gender, age, disability status, risk status related to sex and gender, and among other populations identified to be at-risk for health disparities.
Last reviewed 01/14/2012
