Racial & Ethnic Disparities in Health & Health Care

It is generally conceded that there are significant disparities in health and health care based on a person's racial and ethnic background. Infant mortality rates for black babies remain nearly two-and-one-half times higher than for whites. The life expectancy for black men and women remains at nearly one decade fewer years of life compared with their white counterparts. Rates of death attributable to heart disease, stroke, prostate and breast cancer remain much higher in black populations. Diabetes disease rates are more than 30 percent higher among Native Americans and Hispanics than among whites. Minorities remain grossly under-represented in the health professions workforce relative to their proportions in the population. In addition, despite a large and growing body of scientific evidence, many patients and providers remain unaware that racial and ethnic health care disparities are a problem and perceptions about health care inequalities vary between minorities and whites. closing the disparity gap. This book presents new research focusing on these disparities.