Question  Week 5 Discussion: System-Based Health Disparities No unread replies. No replies. Step 1 Post a response to the discussion board. In your post, address the following prompts: Define a systems-based perspective on health inequalities/disparities. Describe the potential role of nursing in addressing health inequalities/disparities at the system level. Provide an example from your geographic area about which inequities could most benefit from a systems-based approach. System-Based Health Disparities Step 2 Read other students’ posts and respond to at least two of them by Friday at 11:59 pm MT. In your response, identify one aspect of your peers’ explanation of the nurse’s role in addressing health inequalities/disparities at the system level with which you agree and one aspect with which you have a different opinion. Share the aspect with which you agree with your peer and explain why. Then, share the different opinions you have and explain the reason behind your differe

System-Based Health Disparities

Healthcare disparities are nothing new in the healthcare industry and only reveal the longstanding systemic and organizational differences rooted in various forms of inequalities like racism, transphobia, and other forms of discrimination. A system-based perspective in relation to such health disparities means taking a more all-inclusive and non-reductionist approach when it comes to these disparities (Edelman & Kudzma, 2021). Statistics show that minority groups have a high probability of getting serious health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and cancer, as well as deaths resulting from these conditions, compared to majority groups. Accordingly, a system-based approach considers various factors unrelated to a person’s bodily health that have been shown to be determinants of a person’s health outcome. These factors include sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, geographical location, age, gender, socioeconomic status, and disability status.

Nurses are not only caregivers but also become advocates for their patients due to their close proximity to patients. Nurses spend a lot of time with patients, which puts them in a unique position to gain insights into various important aspects of the patient that, as described above, will determine their health outcome. This opportunity makes nurses the perfect advocates for what patients need for the best outcomes. Advocates are especially important for minority individuals, such as immigrants, who have a limited understanding of the American healthcare system. Further, due to their close contact with patients, nurses can witness unfairness toward certain individuals in the healthcare industry; as such, nurses are crucial in policy-making processes that aim to address these disparities (Kalaitzidis & Jewell, 2020).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, CDC researchers found that in Indianapolis, Native Americans were approximately 3.5 more likely to be hospitalized when compared to white people, while Hispanic Americans and Black people had a 2.8 more likelihood (Beairshelle 2021). Further, people of color were twice as likely to die from the virus as white people. These statistics indicated clear racial health disparities, and I believe this is a crucial area that could benefit from a system-based approach.

References

Beairshelle, E. (2021). “Pandemic highlights racial health disparities in Indiana”. FOX59News. Accessed from: https://fox59.com/news/health/pandemic-highlights-racial-health-disparities-in-indiana/

Edelman, C., & Kudzma, E. C. (2021). Health promotion throughout the life span-e-book. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Kalaitzidis, E., & Jewell, P. (2020). The concept of advocacy in nursing: a critical analysis. The health care manager, 39(2), 77-84.