Health Literacy and Health Disparity

Health Literacy and Health Disparity

The National Institute of Health defines health disparities as “differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden of illnesses and other various health problems that exist among specific demographic groups in the United States” (Raingruber, 2017, p.128). This means that many people face difficulties in accessing necessary healthcare. These inequalities in oral health can be attributed to geographic location, socioeconomic level, and health awareness. All of these sectors, which are, in fact, linked, create obstacles that must be solved to attain health equity.

Geographic location is well-known to be a significant obstacle to receiving needed oral care. First, there are fewer dental health professionals, with rural areas accounting for 60% of the national shortage (Oral Health in Rural Communities Introduction – Rural Health Information Hub, 2019). Second, residents must travel further to see a dentist, and a shortage of mobility, both public and private, present a barrier, particularly for low-income families.

Limited income not only makes transportation difficult, but it also makes it difficult to pay for dental care or obtain dental insurance. Employers in remote locations are less likely to provide dental insurance, and many dental health professionals, even in more populated areas, are unwilling to accept Medicaid or CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) reimbursement rates because they are so low. Income influences healthy eating choices, which might have an impact on oral health.

A lack of understanding about the importance of dental health has also been identified as a hurdle. Finding a dentist, arranging transportation, and looking for resources to help with payment will not be a priority if the notion of dental health and how it connects to the overall quality of life is not grasped. Language also plays a role in obtaining this knowledge because education must be delivered in a way that those who are not fluent in English can grasp. There will be no compliance if there is no understanding of the importance of oral health.

Having access to pupils in a school setting allows you to reach children through an existing social structure. This maximizes impact while reducing program development time and resources (Educational and Community-Based Programs, Healthy People 2020, 2020). Because pupils are transported to school by bus or parent, the geographical location and transportation barriers are removed.

The school nurse can then arrange for each kid to have access to dental care by scheduling student visits with a Mobile Dental Unit to give an assessment, sealants, and treatment as needed. She can also canvas the community for the names and addresses of dental care providers prepared to take CHIP or negotiate lower-income consumers’ prices. These two activities help to reduce the gaps in professional availability and dental insurance owing to low poverty.

The Mobile Unit dentist’s recommendations for each child, as well as information from local dentists about financial coverage for care, can then be reviewed with the student’s parents. This provides an opportunity to educate the family on the importance of dental care. A greater understanding of oral health and a reduction in budgetary concerns will encourage parents to follow through on recommendations.

As a patient educator, it is critical that the nurse first offer the information and then evaluate it to ensure that it is understood. The first tactic would be to speak slowly and clearly and to use simple, easy-to-understand terminology. This approach is just as crucial when communicating to parents who do not typically have a medical background as it is when speaking to youngsters.

The second technique would be to employ visual assistance whenever possible. Using visuals to illustrate the subject helps to boost learning and recall of the material. Visual aids, as a teaching tool, promote thinking and enhance the learning experience (Shabiralyani et al.,2015).

The third option would be the “teach-back” or “show-me” technique (Raingruber, 2017, p.171). This would mean asking the parent or child open-ended questions or having them repeat or demonstrate what they have learned. If it is critical to ensure that the knowledge is completely grasped, the “teach-to-goal” strategy (Raingruber, 2017, p.171) may be used. This would imply that information would be presented and questions would be evaluated again until the subject matter was grasped.

As previously said, health disparities affect many different parts of life and many different types of people. These issues are interconnected and have a domino effect in that one scenario influences the next, and so on. Many times, you cannot overcome one barrier without first overcoming another, which makes the solution difficult. That is why water fluoridation and school-based tooth sealant distribution are critical. They provide preventative treatment to all children, regardless of money, education, or geographic location. Programs like these aim to bridge inequities and ensure equitable care for all.

References

Educational and Community-Based Programs | Healthy People 2020. (2020, October 8).Healthypeople.Gov. https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics- objectives/topic/educational-and-community-based-programs

Oral Health in Rural Communities Introduction – Rural Health Information Hub. (2019, March 21). Www.Ruralhealthinfo.org. https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/topics/oral-health Raingruber, B. (2017). Current health promotion in nursing practice (2nd ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Shabiralyani, G., Khuram, S., Hasan, Hamad, N., Iqbal, N., Dera, G., & Khan, P. (2015). Impact of Visual Aids in Enhancing the Learning Process Case Research: District Dera Ghazi Khan. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1079541.pdf

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Week 5: Health Disparities

General Poverty

1. Play Spent Activity:

The Urban Ministries of Durham have a great online poverty simulation that goes through a month in the life of a person in poverty. To access the simulation, click this link: http://playspent.org/. Summarize your experience with this simulation activity.

Did you have money left over?

What difficult decisions did you need to make?

What was your overall feeling when the month was over?

2. After reading the Culture of Care Policy Brief

What does the Covid-19 pandemic teach us about health disparities in the U.S.?

Identify policy recommendations that would address these inequalities.

Food Security

Go to the website, the United States Food Drug Administration- Household Food Security, at http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us.aspx.

How is food insecurity defined?

Which populations are most at risk for food insecurity?

What programs are available to improve food access? Consider the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Homelessness

1. Who are the homeless, and why are they homeless?

Go to the website of the National Coalition for the Homeless:

https://nationalhomeless.org/about-homelessness/

Click on Issues – Read about 2 topics that interest you.

Click on Campaigns – read about one campaign.

Hoover over About NCH and then click on Policy Priorities – read about one policy recommendation.

2. Describe the face of the “homeless.”

What are the numbers?

Who is homeless?

Why are they homeless?

How are health and homelessness related?

Identify and describe one policy project to reduce/end homelessness.

Go to Policy Map in the MSU library database. What information can you find on housing and homelessness in your community? As a public health nurse, why is it important to know this information?

3. Describe what is meant by having “affordable housing.”
Review the Mortgage Lending Report at the following link: https://ncrc.org/ncrc-2020-home-mortgage-report-examining-shifts-during-covid/?mc_cid=fdf4610bd7&mc_eid=cbd7cf5abd.
Based on your review, how do current trends in mortgage lending impact affordable housing and homelessness?
What populations are most likely to have challenges with mortgage lending, and why?
What similarities do you see in populations most impacted by homelessness and mortgage lending?
What recommendation would you give to a potential home buyer who may be most impacted by current trends in mortgage lending?