title: Federal investments to eliminate racial/ethnic health-care disparities.
abstract: Health care is an important lever for moderating the effects of social determinants on health. We present a model that describes the relationships among social disadvantage, health-care disparities, and health disparities. Improving access to health care and enhancing patient-provider interaction are critical pathways for reducing disparities. Increasing the diversity of the public health and health-care workforces is an efficient strategy for reducing disparities because it impacts both access to care and patient-provider communication. Federal policy makers should continue interest in workforce diversity to optimize the health of all Americans.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.
authors.forename: Ernest
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moy
authors.affiliation: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Freeman
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D035082:Federal Government; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006280:Health Workforce / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D064890:Social Determinants of Health; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D016270:United States Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality / Q000458:organization & administration; D014483:United States Dept. of Health and Human Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data