Bridging the Gap – Addressing Healthcare Needs of Marginalized Childbearing and Childrearing Families

Bridging the Gap – Addressing Healthcare Needs of Marginalized Childbearing and Childrearing Families

Marginalized People

In contemporary healthcare, ensuring equitable access to quality care is paramount, particularly for marginalized women and children. This overview examines the pivotal role Nurse Practitioners (NPs) play in addressing the social impacts on marginalized populations and the influence of health policies on healthcare disparities, guided by scholarly insights.

Application of Course Knowledge

Community Outreach and Education

As an NP, organizing community and teaching programs to counteract the social impacts of less privileged women and children is important. Outreach initiatives, such as workshops on prenatal care and nutrition, increase health literacy, meaning that marginalized members of society can now make informed decisions regarding their well-being and overcome any barriers that limit access to healthcare.

Advocacy for Policy Change

Policy change on local, state, and national levels is a tactical option to dismantle the systemic barriers of women, children, and childbearing families. NPs advocate for laws that aim to provide health equality along with social justice. They support affordable healthcare programs by providing low-cost services, extending Medicaid, and allocating funds to community health programs. Through policy changes on social determinants, including but not limited to affordable housing and education, NPs help to create a supportive health environment for disadvantaged groups.

Cultural Competency Training

Cultural competence is paramount for NPs to achieve successful healthcare delivery to underserved populations. Training programs cultivate more respect and awareness of diverse societal values, bettering the way patients relate (Liu et al., 2022). Cultural humility encourages trust and satisfaction, which are beneficial for health outcomes. Education helps NPs to handle healthcare gaps that are caused by cultural differences.

Role of Health Policy

Health policies at the federal, state, and local levels significantly influence the health outcomes of marginalized populations.

Federal Policy

Federal policies, such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), have had a profound impact on access to healthcare for marginalized individuals and families. The ACA expanded Medicaid coverage and established health insurance marketplaces, providing millions of previously uninsured Americans access to affordable health insurance. However, changes in federal healthcare policy, such as attempts to repeal or weaken the ACA, can jeopardize these gains and exacerbate healthcare disparities among marginalized populations (Flaubert, 2021).

State Policy

State-level health policies designed to determine the healthcare strategy for marginalized members are often important. With the conversion of expanded Medicaid under a particular area, there has been a significant reduction in the uninsured rate and access to care. On the contrary, states that chose to decline Medicaid coverage expansion would, therefore, increase the number of low-income individuals and families who don’t have access to affordable healthcare insurance, ultimately leading to increased inequalities in access to and quality of healthcare.

Local Policy

Through political formulations and initiatives, local governments can be useful in tackling the social determinants of health, which play a big part in the marginalization of people living in poverty and the vulnerable. For instance, municipal authorities could aid a local bank in investing in an affordable housing system, including new public transfer possibilities, or support community organizations that provide necessary services for the vulnerable population (Flaubert et al., 2021). By dealing with the fundamental problems of marginalization at the grassroots governance level, policymakers will be able to build favorable socio-economic environments that sustain the health and well-being of every community member.

Integration of Evidence

Drawing from the article “Confronting the Culture of Care: A Call to End Disrespect, discrimination, and Detainment of Women and Newborns in Health Facilities Everywhere” by Sacks and Peca (2020), I have outlined actionable strategies for NPs to mitigate the social impacts on marginalized women and children. Additionally, I have discussed the role of health policy in both perpetuating and alleviating healthcare disparities among marginalized populations.

Impact of Medicaid Expansion Policies on Marginalized Groups

One policy that significantly impacts marginalized groups is the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which operates at both the federal and state levels. The ACA allows states to expand Medicaid coverage to low-income adults with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level. However, not all states have chosen to expand Medicaid, leading to disparities in healthcare access and outcomes among marginalized populations.

Examining the Effects of Medicaid Expansion on Marginalized Communities

Medicaid expansion positively enhances healthcare access for low-income individuals, reducing costs and covering crucial services. Yet, non-expansion in some states leaves marginalized communities without affordable insurance, deepening disparities. This coverage gap disproportionately affects women, children, and people of color, exacerbating existing health inequities due to delayed or forgone medical care.

References

Flaubert, J. L. (2021). The role of nurses in improving health care access and quality. In www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK573910/

Flaubert, J. L., Menestrel, S. L., Williams, D. R., & Wakefield, M. K. (2021). The role of nurses in improving health equity. In www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK573898/

Liu, T.-T., Chen, M.-Y., Chang, Y.-M., & Lin, M.-H. (2022). A preliminary study on the cultural competence of nurse practitioners and its affecting factors. Healthcare, 10(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10040678

Sacks, E., & Peca, E. (2020). Confronting the culture of care: A call to end disrespect, discrimination, and detainment of women and newborns in health facilities everywhere. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-020-02894-z

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CO 5: Identify and address healthcare needs of marginalized childbearing and childrearing families.

Bridging the Gap – Addressing Healthcare Needs of Marginalized Childbearing and Childrearing Families