The following are the most common practices when it comes to disease burden and health disparities:
Many populations continue to be vulnerable to disease burden and inequities, particularly those who are unprotected, marginalized and not supported. Low income, African American Americans in the U.S. are a significant population group at risk for cardiovascular disease. Cardio-vascular disease is one of the leading causes of death, morbidity and associated with many social and economic determinants. This will feature an examination of the burden of cardiovascular disease, the need for consideration of ‘politics and health policy’ in tackling inequities and why inequities exist.
The following are a few key takeaways from the article.
The article aims to give an explanation of why cardiovascular disease has become a problem in the African American community and the health outcome disparities in this minority group. The article outlines the racial/ethnic differences in the prevalence of hypertension, stroke, heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases. All these are circumstances that have a significant impact on life and disability. The key point of the article is that poor access to preventive health care and delayed diagnosis of diseases remain a major contributor to mortality due to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) as well as delivering an important message about socio-economic inequalities. Chronic stress, poor nutrition and exercise and lack of physical activity and health care were also cited as stressors that can cause cardiovascular issues in the article. On top of that, many in the lower income communities do not have the money to be able to seek regular medical care, do not have insurance, and/or do not have access to medical care in lower-populated areas. The resulting conditions lead to a worsening of disease outcomes, and to increased disparities in health care.
Social and economic factors of health;
African Americans have several social and economic determinants of health that contribute to their burden with cardiovascular disease. One of the most important causes is this poverty, as the people have to pay for food of good nutritional value, medicines, health services and transport to cope with poverty. Many areas of low-income neighborhoods lack access to grocery stores, recreational facilities and good healthcare institutions as well. Education is also important in Health outcomes. People with lower levels of education might not know about preventive health care practice, healthy lifestyle and disease management (Borkowski et al., 2024). Also, loss of employment and lack of housing may also be a cause of chronic stress which can cause high blood pressure and heart disease. Limited quality of health care services could also be a result of inequities faced by minority groups, both at an individual and systemic level. These differences may be exacerbated by unexplicit bias and lack of specialist services and mistrust of health care services.
A health Policy expert and a political scientist.
Politics and healthcare policy greatly influence the management and prevention of cardiovascular disease and health disparities. Many groups who were not well served have had better access to health care coverage due to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and other policies. More Medicaid and preventative health coverage has led to more access to screening, chronic disease medication and management. But political conflicts over financing health care and expanding insurance coverage remain an obstacle for weak individuals (JOYNT, 2024). In states which did not expand Medicaid, low-income Americans without health insurance cannot access affordable health care services. This helps to cause delayed diagnosis and inadequate treatment of cardiovascular diseases. The community-level availability of obesity prevention programs, smoking cessation programs, hypertension and other cardiovascular disease prevention programs is also influenced by public health budget. Seeking support in policies to nutrition assistance programs, affordable housing, and health education can help minimize disparities and health outcomes in the long-term. In my opinion, there ought to be investments made in public health in cardiovascular disease prevention and community-based interventions, so that disparities in cardiovascular disease are bridged. Policymakers should focus on making healthcare more accessible, culturally competent, and promote better public health education, to help root out the causes of health inequities.
Conclusion
Racial/ethnic minorities and underserved communities continue to be disproportionately impacted by cardiovascular disease. In addition to poverty, poor access to health services, limited education and discrimination, other factors that are key drivers of health disparities are referred to as social and economic determinants of health (SDOH) and are associated with disease burden. Politics and health care policy plays an important role in creating inequities (for better or worse). A multi-sectoral strategy involving the cooperation of health care services, policy makers and communities will be required to ensure equitable access to health care and improve health outcomes of populations in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
References
Borkowski, P., Borkowska, N., Mangeshkar, S., Adal, B. H., & Singh, N. (2024). Racial and Socioeconomic Determinants of Cardiovascular Health: A Comprehensive Review. Cureus. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.59497
JOYNT, K. E. (2024). THE ROLE OF HEALTH POLICY IN IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES AND HEALTH EQUITY. Transactions of the American Clinical and Climatological Association, 134, 200. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11316889/
Loh, I. K., Miller, T. E., Aggarwal, R., & Richmond, T. M. (2025). Improving Representation of Underserved Populations in Cardiovascular Research. Journal of the American Heart Association, 14(18). https://doi.org/10.1161/jaha.124.038020
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Top Practice Concerns
Initial Post
- Identify a reputable article that addresses a significant health concern related to disease burden or health disparity in a specific population. Summarize the issue discussed in the article, including key findings, such as the leading causes of death or disability and any contributing social or economic determinants of health. For reference, here is an example article: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11349328/
- Reflect on how politics or health policy influences this health concern or contributes to addressing (or exacerbating) disparities and inequities. Provide specific examples or insights from the article or your own perspective.