Medical Civil Rights [WLOs: 1, 2, 3] [CLOs: 1, 2, 5]
Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum,
- Read Chapter 20 in your textbook.
- Review the digital exhibit Community Health ActionLinks to an external site..https://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/forallthepeople/exhibition3.html
- Read the webpages:
- Civil Rights Act (1964)Links to an external site.https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/civil-rights-act
- Access to Health ServicesLinks to an external site.https://health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health/literature-summaries/access-health-services
- Health Care Access and QualityLinks to an external site.https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/health-care-access-and-quality
- Watch the video The History of Civil Rights in Health Care: Hospital Desegregation and Beyond | Zainab Farzal, MDLinks to an external site..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERIrodvoGH0
The U.S. health care delivery system is working diligently to eliminate disparities. According to the exhibition curated by Hoffman through the National Library of Medicine (n.d.),
in the 1960’s, civil rights activist and senior citizens advocated for Medicare and Medicaid, the first national health programs in the United States. Following the end of legal segregation by race, citizen groups began targeting continuing racial and economic inequalities in the health care system. Radical social movements went even further in defining community-based health care as an essential component of their versions for a new society. (“Community Health Action” section)
Along with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibits discrimination to anyone based on national origin, sex, religion, race, or color, the recent intention is to provide improved access to any and all publicly funded health care opportunities.
Many people today face barriers to quality health care services. The Institute of Medicine defines access to quality health care as the “timely use of personal health services to achieve the best possible health care outcomes” (Healthy People 2030, n.d., “Literature Summary” section).
In this week’s discussion, address the following in a minimum of 500 words:
- Analyze historical laws that improved access to health care and include possible gaps found in these laws.
- Discuss stigmas, bias, and barriers to health care for all citizens. Over time, have these issues changed in a positive or negative manner?
- Health care disparities can be viewed as multidimensional. Explain which two issues are at the forefront of today’s conversation regarding a lack of access to quality health care for all citizens:
- race/ethnicity
- socioeconomic status
- age
- demographic
- gender
- sexual orientation
- disability
- educational inequalities
- Discuss two ways that transformational leadership can improve access and outcomes for patients.
