Strengthening the Human Development Indicators to Minimize the Health inequity and Health Disparities in United States of America: A case in Point of the African-American Community

Abstract

This study examines the following Human Development Indicators such as education, income, poverty, employment and other growth factors and their respective relationship with health equity and equality. The study used 2017 US Census Bureau and 2017 US Department of Health datasets for the examination. The study examines the datasets related to the top ten (10) United States of America states dominated by African-American Population. The study revealed that health inequity leads to health disparities. Therefore, ensuring equal access to health insurance, education, resources, employment and many other human growth and development indicators are more likely to improve the lives of the citizens across the different racial groups in the nation.  Because the finding is attributing the high disparities to health inequity in the ten (10) states, including unequal access to health care and other human development growth indicators such as income, employment and education. Therefore, the study recommends that federal government, policymakers, lawmakers, governors and mayors should collaborate with local, regional, state, and national partners from public health and social justice communities to advance health equity, and to help solidify a movement for progressive health equity practice; promote the work of other health departments to make the case for investing in health equity work; work with community organizers to train health department staff on the principles and practices of community organizing; hold provider networks and other public health system partners accountable for advancing health equity; and finally, listen and learn from broader social movements to better understand their issues, processes, and narratives, and how they can build power and motivate their base to ensure health equity.

Keyword: Health, Disparities, HDI, Employment, Income, Education, Insurance, Inequity, and Poverty

DOI: 10.7176/JPID/54-06

Publication date:June 30^th 2020