Health Care Access for Low-Income Minorities

Paper Summary:

This paper, based in sociological and social psychology concepts, identifies the causal factors for the gap between lower-income Americans and members of visible minorities in the United States and more affluent Americans and members of the majority segment of the population with respect to health care access. The author concludes, after an extensive review of the literature, that a universal system of health care entitlement is required in the United States. The author suggests that an extensive education is required for low-income persons and members of visible minorities to know the benefits and function of health care services, and health care providers require education in the social mores of the diverse populations they must serve.

Table of Contents
Problem Delineation
Background on the Problem
Statement of the Problem
Research Questions
Review of Relevant Social Psychology Theory and Literature
Introduction
Sociological Theory and Health Care
The Welfare State
Accessing Contemporary Health Care
Role of Ethics in Accessing Health Care
Alternative Health Care Delivery Systems
Chapter Conclusions
Social Functioning of Low-Income and Visible Minority Population Groups
Introduction
HIV/AIDS Related Behavior
Initiatives to Improve Health Care Access and Behaviors
The American Health Care System and The Health Care Experiences of Low-Income and Visible Minority Population Groups
Introduction
The American Health Care System
Delivery of Health Care to the Poor
Care Quality
Alternative Approaches to Delivery
Bioethical Issues
Problems of Accessibility
Initiatives to Improve Access
Chapter Conclusions
Assessment of the Problem
Discussion
Recommendations for Further Research
Annotated Bibliography

From the Paper:

"One of the major impediments to the attainment of universal access to healthcare in the United States is the functioning of for-profit Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and managed care organizations (MCOs). These organizations are investor-owned organizations that are in business to make a profit on healthcare delivery. Non-for-profit healthcare organizations also must earn a profit on their operations in order to be able to compensate and train staff, acquire new technology, and generally improve the quality of their services. Unlike investor-owned healthcare companies, however, non-for-profit organizations are not driven by share prices and the bottom-line mentality of for-profit companies. Thus, patient-centered care in not-for-profit healthcare organizations may be contrasted with the investor orientation of the for-profit healthcare companies. Recent decisions by for-profit healthcare companies to drop their Medicare healthcare groups because of substandard profit growth illustrates as no amount of rhetoric can the precedent of investor concerns over patient concerns in the for-profit healthcare companies."

More papers on Health Care Access for Low-Income Minorities:

• Research Paper # 27249 : "Impediments to Health Care Access for Low Income Visible Minorities"
• Research Paper # 46683 : "Differences in Quality of Health Care by Insurance Type"
• Essay # 85984 : "Low Income Families "

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