Kaiser Permanente thrive » racial-ethnic-disparities

A call for unity to solve health disparities

admin11kcesarz — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:43:10 +0000

Race and ethnicity matter in health and health care. Cultural differences and language barriers affect how diverse communities live, as well as the quality of the care they receive when they get it.

According to Raymond Baxter, senior vice president, Kaiser Permanente Community Benefit, health disparities exist across socio-economic lines.

In the video “Bridging the Great Divide: Health Disparities in America,” real people share their personal stories and experts shed light on a nationwide problem that can be solved if we all work together.

Watch this important video to hear their solutions.

Lack of health care for millions causes more sickness for Americans

admin10kavesian — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:36:16 +0000

That millions of Americans lack good health care due to “racial and ethnic disparities in health care is shocking in a society committed to equality,” says George C. Halvorson, chairman and CEO, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals.

Kaiser Permanente recently published several ads that label the issue a national disgrace and urge lawmakers to do something about it.

The ads, which focus on health care disparities in the Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander communities, note that Americans spend $2.5 trillion on health care and yet millions of uninsured Americans avoid care and get sick solely because they lack coverage.

Learn more about what you can do to end health care disparities in America.

Are health care inequalities making Americans sick?

admin10kavesian — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:38:52 +0000

You might believe that no factors impact your health as much as your personal behaviors, genes, and the quality of your medical care. However, research has found that the social conditions in which we live and work affect health and longevity far more. That’s why having thriving communities is so important.

A groundbreaking PBS documentary looks at how issues of wealth, power, and privilege contribute to ongoing health problems. In fact, the United States spends $2 trillion a year on health care, yet ranks 30th in life expectancy among industrialized nations.

“There are ways in which our society is organized that are bad for our health,” says Nicolas Christakis, MD. “And there’s no doubt that we could reconfigure ourselves in ways that would benefit our health.” Meanwhile, epidemiologist Ichiro Kawachi, MD, points out that factors such as health care can only affect so much. “Health care can deal with the diseases and illnesses — but the lack of health care is not the cause of illness and disease,” he says. “It is like saying since aspirin cures a fever, the lack of aspirin must be the cause of the fever.”

View a preview of this documentary to learn how our social environments can trump even medical care, behaviors, and genes when it comes to our health.

Photos help community improve its health

admin10kavesian — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:23:54 +0000

Could something as simple as a photo change the health of your community?

It did in the Park Hill section of Denver. As part of Photovoice: Image to Action, residents used free cameras to photograph the health issues in their neighborhood. Those pictures then led to them talking about removing the barriers to healthier lives and eating habits.

The project gave a voice to a community that was struggling with a number of health issues, says J. Elaine Borton, the Park Hill Thriving Community coordinator. “With Photovoice we were able to bring this issue home, gain consensus, and build solutions."

Read about how photography is empowering Park Hill residents to change. Download a guide to using the Photovoice program to improve the health in your community.