Ecological Model

Ecological Model

Recent studies have shown that despite the steady improvements in the overall health of the United States, racial and ethnic minorities experience a lower quality of health services and are less likely to receive routine medical procedures and have higher rates of morbidity and mortality than non-minorities. Disparities in health care exist even when controlling for gender, condition, age and socio-economic status.

The six most apparent health issues that were the major cause of disparities between minorities and the majority European-American population such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke, chemical dependency, diabetes, homicide and accidents, and infant mortality. Some others included infant mortality, childhood and adult immunizations, HIV/AIDS.

Some people have negative attitudes about using the health care system, which in turn create a major health disparity. The individual have a lack of trust for medical doctors. Some, based on their cultural background rely heavily on home based remedies. Also access to medical health coverage is commonly one of the contributing factors in the individuals’ choice to seek medical attention/intervention.

I believe that the ecological model is a great method in better to understanding health disparities. It allows the public health professional to better understand the disparities differences and the areas that lack study in order to better create interventions and/or programs to tackle on the high risk behaviors and other factors that create the health disparity in the first place.

Sources:
Edberg, M. (2007). Essentials of health behavior: social and behavioral theory in public health. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers

Health Disparities: A Case for Closing the Gap Healthreform.gov