title: Health disparities: a primer for public health social workers.
abstract: In 2001, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published Healthy People 2010, which identified objectives to guide health promotion and to eliminate health disparities. Since 2001, much research has been published documenting racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare. Although progress has been made in eliminating the disparities, ongoing work by public health social workers, researchers, and policy analysts is needed. This paper focuses on racial and ethnic health disparities, why they exist, where they can be found, and some of the key health/medical conditions identified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to receive attention. Finally, there is a discussion of what policy, professional and community education, and research can to do to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare.
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York 14260-1050, USA. rhkeefe@buffalo.edu
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Keefe
mesh_terms: D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D054525:Minority Health; D011634:Public Health; D012947:Social Work; D014481:United States