Public health and disparities and social determinants of health
1. Increasing access to health care: One public policy needed to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in health care is increasing access to affordable and equitable health services for all individuals regardless of race or ethnicity. This could be achieved through a combination of measures such as expanding Medicaid eligibility, investing in community-based clinics, and subsidizing the cost of insurance premiums for low-income families.
2. Improving cultural competency among providers: Another important policy necessary for reducing racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare relates to the quality of care received by minority populations. Namely, there needs to be an emphasis on improving cultural competence among providers so that they are better equipped to understand the unique needs of patients from different backgrounds and provide culturally sensitive treatments tailored specifically toward those populations’ concerns.