An underresearched and underrepresented minority, American Indian and Alaskan Native have the highest mortality and morbidity rates out of all populations. SES constraints as well as the unique difficulty of navigating a federally centralized network of healthcare providers contribute to the prevalance of health disparities in Indiginous people. 

Health Inequity and Indigenous People (AI/AN)

As a specific example of health disparity in the United States, African American women have been documented to have the highest rates of both emergency room visits and unmet healthcare needs when compared to other demographic groups. This particular disparity was observed to have worsened significantly between 2006 and 2014.

Health Disparities Faced by African American Women

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ+) youth represent another group facing significant health disparities. They frequently encounter poor quality of care, which is often a direct result of stigma, as well as insensitivity and a lack of understanding from healthcare professionals.

Healthcare Challenges for LGBTQ+ Youth

Healthy People 2020 is a U.S. government initiative that established specific goals for public health. One of its key objectives was the elimination of health disparities in healthcare that are based on gender and race.

Healthy People 2020 Initiative

Systematic inequity in accessing and utilizing health resources. Minority groups experience disproportionate discrimination and barriers to health.

Grand Valley State University

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Theory that believes that individuals who are a part of non-dominant groups in society continue to experience and suffer from health disparities, even after adjusting for confounding variables, due to constant stress caused by interactions with dominant groups. LGBTQIA-POC individuals may be at a higher risk to health disparities due to this stress.

Minority Stress Theory

Braveman, P. (2014). What are health disparities and health equity? We need to be clear. Public Health Reports, 129(Suppl. 2), 5–8. https://doi.org/10.1177/00333549141291s203

What are health disparities and health equity? We need to be clear

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Term that refers to individuals who identify with both the LGBTQIA group and POC group. These individuals have identities that intersect that play roles in how they are assessed and treated. These individuals are smaller percentage of minority groups and can have differing experiences in healthcare.

LGBTQIA-POC

The assumption that there is a generalizability of the human experience.
Within this perspective, there are risks of ignoring the influence of various identities on cognition, behavior, and perception of reality. 

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