Infectious Disease Issues in Underserved Populations.
Infectious disease has a major impact on the health outcomes of underserved populations and is reported at significantly higher rates among these populations compared with the general population. Overcoming barriers and obstacles to health care access is key to addressing the disparity regarding the prevalence of infectious disease. Enhancing cultural competency and educating practitioners about underserved populations' basic health needs; optimizing health insurance for the underserved; increasing community resources; and improving access to comprehensive, continuous, compassionate, and coordinated health care are strategies for diminishing the burden of infectious disease in underserved populations.
Department of Family Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1919 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. Electronic address: sgrief@uic.edu.
Samuel Neil
SN
Grief
Bakersfield Memorial Family Medicine Residency Program, Department of Family Medicine, University of California Irvine School of Medicine, 420 34th Street, Bakersfield, CA 93301, USA.
John Paul
JP
Miller
D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D057220:Health Literacy; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006801:Humans; D008913:Minority Groups; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D035862:Vulnerable Populations
Barriers; HIV; Health outcomes; Homeless; Infectious disease; Inmates; Minorities; Underserved populations