1. Running head: SOLVING HEALTH DISPARITIES IN MINORITIES 1
Solving Health Disparities in Minorities
Unit 7 Assignment
Lucious Davis
Kaplan University
HS305-01: Research Methods for Health Sciences

2. SOLVING HEALTH DISPARITIES IN MINORITIES 2
Research Problem
Health disparities are the most common causes of disease and death among those is in
disadvantaged environments. Often disadvantaged environments consist of minorities, for
example African Americans, Hispanics, and Native American, who are in a low socioeconomic
status. In this report I will focus on the African American population. There are persistent racial
disparities in health for instance homicide, heart disease, and cancer. These are the most common
health disparities that African Americans face. Health disparities lead to higher mortality rates in
lower income communities due to lack of access and quality of healthcare. Poor health status,
disease risk factors, and limited access to health care are often interrelated and have been
reported among persons with social, economic, and environmental disadvantages (Centers for
Disease Control, 2013). Racial differences in socioeconomic status, neighborhood residential
conditions, and medical care are important contributors to racial differences in disease (Williams,
Jackson 2005). By eliminating health disparities we can have a norm of equality for each person.
When we effectively address racial disparities in health by acknowledging out of date social
policies and do away with what caused the disparities. My research problem is what connections
are there between race and economic status, when it comes to patient treatment, education and
how accessible healthcare is to them?
Current Background
Health disparities and inequalities in the United States are most common in areas where
there is a large minority population. When data were available and suitable analyses were
possible for the topic area, disparities were examined for population characteristics that included
race and ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, socioeconomic status, and geographic
location (Centers for Disease Control, 2013). Many of those affected by health disparities often

3. SOLVING HEALTH DISPARITIES IN MINORITIES 3
have higher mortality rates than those in areas where health care is more accessible and good in
quality. It is shown that compared to the general population, minority communities often have a
lower socioeconomic status causing much more hindrance to health-care access and a greater
risk for disease ; this social determinant of health are primarily responsible for health
inequalities. The purpose of this supplement is to raise awareness of differences among groups
regarding selected health outcomes and health determinants and to prompt actions to reduce
disparities (Centers for Disease Control, 2013).
Social and environmental factors are more than often the contributor to health disparities
but it is not known how exactly it occurs. The environmental justice movement has stated that
disadvantaged communities face great likelihood of exposure to hazards leading to vulnerability.
Relatively little work has been done to specify whether racial and ethnic minorities may have
greater vulnerability than do majority populations and, further, what these vulnerabilities may be
(Gee & Payne-Sturges, 2004). Psychosocial stress may be the result of this vulnerability factor
and can lead to chronic or acute changes in an individual’s immune system. Community stress,
exposure to pollutants, and access to community resources are a few differential experiences that
residential segregation plays a role in.
Racial disparities in mortality over time reflect divergent pathways to the current large
racial disparities in health (Williams & Jackson, 2005). African Americans communities are easy
to identify due to the distinctive look of the neighborhoods. Related inequalities in neighborhood
environments, socioeconomic circumstances and medical care initiate and maintain racial
disparities in health. Efforts are needed to identify and maximize health-enhancing resources that
may reduce some of the negative effects of psychosocial factors on health (Williams & Jackson,
2005). There is a large historical, geographic, sociocultural, economic, and political context that

4. SOLVING HEALTH DISPARITIES IN MINORITIES 4
has been rooted in minority communities when it comes to health and health disparities. This
paper outlines factors in the social environment that can initiate and sustain racial disparities in
health.
Hypothesis
Resolving health disparities such as socioeconomic status can benefit disadvantaged
communities as well as decrease mortality rate.
Research Process
Quantitative and qualitative are the two types of research design. Quantitative research
designs answer research questions using quantifiable research variables, variables that are
measured and can be assigned a numeric value (Matthews, 2011). Quantitative research design is
all about the numbers. The variables in this research design play a vital role and based on its
quantity we draw comparisons as relationships. Whereas qualitative research is characterized by
intensive, long-term observation or participation in a real-world setting (Matthews, 2011). To
find results and conclusions we seek out questions like “how” or “why” to explore research topic
areas from the participants’ descriptive perspective. This research design uses the world as its
laboratory to identify what the participants’ experience. These designs both have their strengths
and weaknesses, for example quantitative research design will give me numerical data that I can
use for rates and how prevalent health disparities are. Qualitative design is good because of its
real world experience it gives me through the perspective of the participants. Qualitative
approach is good but its weakness is the amount of time it would take. Quantitative research
design doesn’t not give you the “why does this happen” factor.

5. SOLVING HEALTH DISPARITIES IN MINORITIES 5
There are two types of sampling techniques; one is random sampling which is a method
of selecting participants in which all participants have equal chances of being selected
(Matthews, 2011). The other is non-random sampling which is a procedure in which all
participants do not have equal chances of being selected (Matthews, 2011). In this case random
sampling would be most effective, specifically stratified random sampling. Stratified random
sampling is determining critical characteristics of the target population to ensure that the same
percentages are represented in the sample (Matthews, 2011). Through this sampling we will be
able to identify through research how ethnicity and socioeconomic factors play a role in health
disparities. The strengths of this sampling allow researchers to get a good representation of the
target population for examples accessibility to health care for African Americans versus White
Americans.
My process of this would be an example of probability. Being that I want to identify the
how socioeconomics affects minorities when it comes to healthcare I would need to find data
relating to this research. I will use both the quantitative and qualitative approach in this research.
This allows me to not only get the numbers for the rates at which health disparities happen but
the why and how it happens as well. Quasi-experimental design is what I would use, because I
know I will study the African-American population and how they are affected by health
disparities, African Americans would be my independent variable whereas their socioeconomic
status and education level would be my dependent variables. This will give me validity and
accuracy to prove my hypothesis right. Although there will be certain biases I must identify these
up front, and, through the data collection and analysis phase, minimize the biases.
Ethics

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Ethics are the moral responsibilities concerning values of right and wrong in behavior. It
is important as a researcher to be ethical at all times. Although some research will put a
researcher in a moral dilemma it is up to the researcher to keep in mind ethics. We must always
protect the subjects at hand who are a part of the research. I will not put my participants in
harm’s way, I will simply observe and collect data on how accessible healthcare is to these
individuals as well as does their socioeconomic status play a role. I will not keep or tell them not
to seek medical attention if needed. I will ensure that all participates records are seen and only
seen by me. This keeps their confidentiality as well as their trust. Informed consent is one of the
most important steps in this process. I will remain ethical by informing all subjects of the risk or
lack thereof and the projected outcomes from this research. I will not use deception in any form
in order to get informed consent. Honestly reporting my data will ensure that my research in
valid. If I were to mislead anyone by false data it will lead to me losing all credibility and could
affect my future work.
Discussion/Conclusion
Health disparities affect groups of people adversely who have experienced greater obstacles
through systematic hardships based on their racial group and/or socioeconomic status just to
name a few. There are many ways in which we can reduce or even fully eliminate these
disparities. When everyone has opportunity to live a long and healthy life, America benefits not
only socially but economically. Enhancing access to high-quality education, jobs, economic
opportunities, and opportunities for healthy living is one way to eliminate these disparities. By
supporting health center service delivery sites in medically underserved areas and place primary
care providers in communities with shortages we will give these groups better chances at
adequate and quality healthcare (National Prevention Strategy, 2014). Interventions that a

7. SOLVING HEALTH DISPARITIES IN MINORITIES 7
developed based on community needs will reduce health disparities as well as improve health
outcomes, leading to lower mortality rates. By properly channeling funds that will expand
training programs will bring new and diverse workers into the healthcare field, where often
time’s minority groups are underrepresented. Requiring the government to step in to make
policies to improve disadvantaged communities and for these disadvantaged communities to
support policies to reduce exposure to environmental and occupational hazards will allow health
disparities to be decreased across the nation (National Prevention Strategy, 2014).
There are many research designs that could further help the reduction of health
disparities. Action research is a concept that will help identify what changes are needed to better
this practice. Three questions where provided by Sagor to determine if action research is
warranted. All three questions can be answered for health disparities and the main question asks:
‘‘is the focus on what is going on with your profession? (Matthews, 2011)’’ Health disparities
lead to high mortality rates where lower socioeconomic statuses are abundant. This is a major
issue in the health care profession and needs to be addressed in order to have equal and better
quality of all people no matter the socioeconomic status. With the new information on what can
be done to reduce health disparities, healthcare professionals can start a new campaign to target
populations where health disparities are dominant. By targeting these populations with a “get
healthy by preventive health” campaign, doctors, nurses, and researchers can reduce mortality
rates and eliminate health disparities. Promoting preventive health programs in disadvantaged
communities will allow individuals to be diagnosed earlier before a disease can progress and get
worst; this will essentially decrease mortality rates.

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References
Williams, D. R., & Jackson, P. B. (2005). Social sources of racial disparities in health. Health
Affairs, 24(2), 325-334. Retrieved from
http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/24/2/325.full
Centers for Disease Control. (2013). CDC Health Inequalities and Disparities Report – United
States, 2013. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/other/su6203.pdf
Gee, G. C., & Payne-Sturges, D. C. (2004). Environmental health disparities: a framework
integrating psychosocial and environmental concepts. Environmental Health
Perspectives, 1645-1653. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/3435896?uid=2&uid=4&sid=21104470433891
Matthews, T. D., & Kostelis, K. T. (2011). Designing and Conducting Research in Health and
Human Performance. [VitalSource Bookshelf version]. Retrieved from
http://online.vitalsource.com/books/9781118166970
National Prevention Strategy. (2014). Elimination of Health Disparities. Retrieved from
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/initiatives/prevention/strategy/health-disparities.pdf