Barriers to Healthcare for Women and Minorities

Poverty and lack of education are two big barriers to healthcare for  women and minorities. Low levels of education are associated with low  life expectancies and high mortality rates. People living in poverty  often lack education about when, why, and where to access healthcare.  There have been various legislative activities in the US to improve  public health.

On the basis of your understanding of the access to healthcare  facilities and impacts of barriers to healthcare access, answer the  following questions:

• Explain at least three public health campaigns targeting access to  healthcare for women and/or minorities. Describe at least two aspects of  their advertising strategies that have addressed income and education.
• Abortion has been the subject of numerous legislative activities in  the United States. How have various legislations affected low-income and  minority women?
• Describe the legal battle over birth control devices in the United  States. Include how access to healthcare has been affected by the legal  decisions.
• Describe the legal barriers to healthcare access for low-income immigrant minorities.
• Review the articles, “Ethnic and gender disparities in needed  adolescent mental health care”, and “Overlooked and underserved:  Improving the health of men of color”. Explain what it means to be  “overlooked” by the healthcare system.
• Discuss at least two examples that illustrate why minorities are  often overlooked in the healthcare system. Do you agree or disagree with  these reasons, why or why not?
• Despite the fact that school-based psychological counseling is  available to all students, Thomas et al., report that ethnic disparities  in mental healthcare access and utilization still persist. Explain why  this disparity exists. What can be done to decrease mental health access  and utilization barriers for low-income and minority students?

What strategies does former U.S. Surgeon General, David Satcher,  M.D., discuss that will decrease the potential for minorities to be  overlooked by the healthcare system?