Disparities in Healthcare

Healthcare disparities refer to differences in access to or availability of facilities and services. Health status disparities refer to the variation in rates of disease occurrence and disabilities between socioeconomic and/or geographically defined population groups.

Resources & Tools

Photo of author's mother, Debra Bond-Yancey: A smiling woman with shoulder-length gray hair leaning on an old green gate in front of green fir trees
Reflecting on My Mom’s Death: Moving Toward A More Complex Understanding of Health, Disability, And Dying
Story - Original
Brought to you by Community Commons
Published on 03/28/2023
Screenshot of VUMC Partners With Local Schools to Tackle Healthcare Staffing Shortage
VUMC Partners With Local Schools to Tackle Healthcare Staffing Shortage
Resource - Blog
First page of Recognizing and Dismantling Raciolinguistic Hierarchies in Latinx Health
Recognizing and Dismantling Raciolinguistic Hierarchies in Latinx Health
Resource - Journal Article
Brought to you by AMA
PDF Cover: Blueprint for Positive Change 2020
Blueprint for Positive Change 2020
Resource - Policy Brief
Title page of What Are Health Disparities and Health Equity? We Need to Be Clear article
What Are Health Disparities and Health Equity? We Need to Be Clear
Resource - Journal Article
First page of Guiding Principles to Address the Impact of Algorithm Bias on Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health and Health Care article
Guiding Principles to Address the Impact of Algorithm Bias on Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health and Health Care
Resource - Journal Article
Brought to you by JAMA
screenshot of the homepage of the resource
Uprooting the Structural Drivers of Health Inequity
Resource - Webinar
Brought to you by ChangeLab Solutions
First page of Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Mental Health Care: Findings from the KFF Survey of Racism, Discrimination and Health brief
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Mental Health Care: Findings from the KFF Survey of Racism, Discrimination and Health
Resource - Report
Brought to you by KFF
Screen capture of Raising the Bar website
Raising the Bar
Resource - Website/webpage
Screen capture of Guide to Equity in the U.S. Health Care System webpage
Guide to Equity in the U.S. Health Care System
Resource - Guide/handbook
Brought to you by Urban Institute
screenshot from Urban Institute page
Affordable Housing Investment: A Guide for Nonprofit Hospitals and Health Systems
Resource - Guide/handbook
Brought to you by Urban Institute
Published on 08/08/2019
First page of To Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Child Health Care, More Needs to be Addressed Than Just Social Determinants
To Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Child Health Care, More Needs to be Addressed Than Just Social Determinants
Resource - Journal Article
Brought to you by Elsevier, Inc.
First page of Clinicians’ Racial Biases as Pathways to Iatrogenic Harms for Black People
Clinicians’ Racial Biases as Pathways to Iatrogenic Harms for Black People
Resource - Journal Article
Brought to you by AMA
First page of Complex Care Certificate: A Free Training Resource From Kaiser Permanente
Complex Care Certificate: A Free Training Resource From Kaiser Permanente
Resource
Brought to you by Kaiser Permanente
Screenshot of The Whole PERSON Health Score: A Patient-Focused Tool to Measure Nonmedical Determinants of Health
The Whole PERSON Health Score: A Patient-Focused Tool to Measure Nonmedical Determinants of Health
Resource - Journal Article
First page of Stress and Cardiometabolic Disease Risk for Indigenous Populations throughout the Lifespan article
Stress and Cardiometabolic Disease Risk for Indigenous Populations throughout the Lifespan
Resource - Journal Article
Screenshot of What is Mentoring in Health and Social Care?
What is Mentoring in Health and Social Care?
Resource - Blog
Screenshot of Public Health is Missing Crucial Data on LGBTQIA+ People. It's Not Hard to Collect.
Public Health Is Missing Crucial Data on LGBTQIA+ People. It’s Not Hard To Collect.
Resource
Cover of Personal Experiences of U.S. Racial/Ethnic Minorities in Today's Difficult Times
Personal Experiences of U.S. Racial/Ethnic Minorities in Today’s Difficult Times
Resource - Report
Brought to you by RWJF
Book Cover: The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People
The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People
Resource - Report
Screenshot of article photo: 180 Organizations Call for Routine LGBTQI+ Health Data Collection
180 Organizations Call for Routine LGBTQI+ Health Data Collection
Resource - Journal Article
Screen capture of Revealing Disparities: Health Care Workers’ Observations of Discrimination Against Patients webpage
Revealing Disparities: Health Care Workers’ Observations of Discrimination Against Patients
Resource - Policy Brief
Brought to you by The Commonwealth Fund
PDF Cover: LGBTQ-Inclusive Data Collection: A Lifesaving Imperative
LGBTQ-Inclusive Data Collection: A Lifesaving Imperative
Resource - Report
Brought to you by Human Rights Campaign
Screen capture of Health Disparities
Kidney Disease Health Disparities
Resource - Website/webpage
Screen capture of Children Without Health Insurance by Race and Ethnicity in the United States
Children Without Health Insurance by Race and Ethnicity in the United States
Resource - Data Bank/repository
Brought to you by Annie E. Casey Foundation
Screen capture of beginning of In Common Newsletter: Hypertension, Race, and Ethnicity: Decreasing the Disparities
In Common Newsletter: Hypertension, Race, and Ethnicity: Decreasing the Disparities
Resource
Published on 07/21/2022
PDF Cover Page: Financial Instability and Delays in Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Due to Covid-19
Financial Instability and Delays in Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Due to COVID-19
Resource - Journal Article
Brought to you by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.
PDF Article Cover: Provider Bias In Contraceptive Counseling
Provider Bias in Contraceptive Counseling
Resource - Journal Article
PDF Cover: Improved Data Collection for Our LGBTQ Population is Needed to Improve Health Care and Reduce Health Disparities
Improved Data Collection for Our LGBTQ Population is Needed to Improve Health Care and Reduce Health Disparities
Resource - Journal Article
PDF Cover: Improving Rural Oral Healthcare Access
Improving Rural Oral Healthcare Access
Resource - Policy Brief
Brought to you by NRHA
PDF Cover: Reproductive Life Goals: A Systematic Review of Pregnancy Planning Intentions, Needs, and Interventions Among Women Involved in U.S. Criminal Justice Systems
Reproductive Life Goals: A Systematic Review of Pregnancy Planning Intentions, Needs, and Interventions Among Women Involved in U.S. Criminal Justice Systems
Resource - Journal Article
Screen capture of Trinity Talks: The History and Reality of Health Equity webinar
Trinity Talks: The History and Reality of Health Equity
Resource - Webinar
Screen capture of Barriers to Equity in Alzheimer's and Dementia Care
Barriers to Equity in Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care
Resource - Website/webpage
Brought to you by CDC
PDF Cover: Electronic Health Records as an Equity Tool for LGBTQIA+ People
Electronic health records as an equity tool for LGBTQIA+ people
Resource - Journal Article
Screenshot of website cover page: LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center
LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center
Resource - Website/webpage
Screen capture of U.S. Health Care Can’t Afford Health Inequities
U.S. Health Care Can’t Afford Health Inequities
Resource - Assessment
Screen capture of How Health Care Leaders Can Prioritize Health Equity for the LGBTQIA2+ Community blog post
How Health Care Leaders Can Prioritize Health Equity for the LGBTQIA2+ Community
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by Harvard University
First page of Dissecting Racial Bias in an Algorithm Used to Manage the Health of Populations article
Dissecting Racial Bias in an Algorithm Used to Manage the Health of Populations
Resource - Journal Article
Brought to you by AAAS
First page of Prevention Science and Health Equity: A Comprehensive Framework for Preventing Health Inequities and Disparities Associated with Race, Ethnicity, and Social Class journal article
Prevention Science and Health Equity: A Comprehensive Framework for Preventing Health Inequities and Disparities Associated with Race, Ethnicity, and Social Class
Resource - Journal Article
Brought to you by Springer
Screenshot of Poor Teeth
Poor Teeth
Resource - Blog
Screenshot of Partnership to Align Social Care
Partnership to Align Social Care
Resource - Website/webpage
Screenshot of article photo: Phase 3.2 of Census Bureau Survey Questions Now Include SOGI, Child Tax Credit, COVID Vaccination of Children
Phase 3.2 of Census Bureau Survey Questions Now Include SOGI, Child Tax Credit, COVID Vaccination of Children
Resource - Journal Article
Screenshot of report map: State-Level Data Show Schools Can Facilitate LGBTQ Students' Access to Relevant Physical Health Services
State-level Data Show Schools Can Facilitate LGBTQ Students’ Access to Relevant Physical Health Services
Resource - Report
First page of Racial Bias in Pain Assessment and Treatment Recommendations, and False Beliefs About Biological Differences Between Blacks and Whites
Racial Bias in Pain Assessment and Treatment Recommendations, and False Beliefs About Biological Differences Between Blacks and Whites
Resource - Journal Article
Screen Capture of Native Americans Feel Invisible In U.S. Health Care System article
Native Americans Feel Invisible In U.S. Health Care System
Resource - Blog
Brought to you by NPR
Addressing Disparities in Diagnostic Errors & Medication Safety in the Home
Addressing Disparities in Diagnostic Errors & Medication Safety in the Home
Resource - Report
Brought to you by Massachusetts General Hospital (d/b/a General Hospital Corporation)
First page of How Abolition of Race-Based Medicine Is Necessary to American Health Justice
How Abolition of Race-Based Medicine Is Necessary to American Health Justice
Resource - Journal Article
Brought to you by AMA
Screen shot of Volume Cover: Black Reproductive Justice Policy Agenda
Black Reproductive Justice Policy Agenda
Resource - Policy Brief
PDF Cover page: Dental Disparities Among Low-Income American Adults: A Social Worker Perspective
Dental Disparities among Low-Income American Adults: A Social Work Perspective
Resource - Journal Article
Screen capture of Racial Disparities in Stroke Incidence and Death
Racial Disparities in Stroke Incidence and Death
Story - Written
Brought to you by NIH
Picture of a Black mother playing with her child
Bearing the Burden: How racism-related stress hurts America’s black mothers and babies
Story - Original
Brought to you by Community Commons
Published on 10/02/2018
Screen shot of cover of audio intro: The Supreme Court Ruling That Led to 70,000 Forced Sterilizations
The Supreme Court Ruling That Led To 70,000 Forced Sterilizations
Story - Audio
Screen capture of Data Shows Racial Disparities in Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis Between Black and White Research Study Participants
Data Shows Racial Disparities in Alzheimer’s Disease Diagnosis Between Black and White Research Study Participants
Story - Written
Headshots of Debra Oto-Kent and Barbara Masters on a teal background
Commons Good Podcast: Debra Oto-Kent and Barbara Masters, Build Healthy Places Network Partners
Story - Audio
Brought to you by Community Initiatives
Published on 03/13/2022
Screen capture of Quiet Neglect: Algorithmic Bias in Healthcare Is Hurting Older Adults article
Quiet Neglect: Algorithmic Bias in Healthcare Is Hurting Older Adults
Story - Written
Brought to you by Breaking Media, Inc.
Published on 02/04/2024
cracked glass in a wooden door with words work in progress painted on it Photo by Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash
Healthcare and Breaking the Cycle of Poverty
Story - Original
Brought to you by Community Commons
Screen shot of the headline of the story
When a Steady Paycheck is Good Medicine
Story - Written
Brought to you by NYT
Who Are the Uninsured?
Story - Written
Brought to you by Community Commons
Published on 10/04/2017
Photo of person with dark skin, a blue shirt, and jeans using an at-home blood pressure monitor
Hypertension, Race, and Ethnicity: Decreasing the Disparities
Story - Original
Brought to you by Community Commons
Screen grab of This Is the Stimulus We Need Right Now. It's Not $1,000 for Every American.
This Is the Stimulus We Need Right Now. It's Not $1,000 for Every American.
Story - Written
Brought to you by NYT
Photo of person with long dark hair being kissed on the cheek by a child in a bright yellow jacket
Tribal Health: Reinvesting in the Indian Health Service
Story - Original
Brought to you by Community Commons
For Urban Poor, the Coronavirus Complicates Existing Health Risks
For Urban Poor, the Coronavirus Complicates Existing Health Risks
Story - Written
Brought to you by NYT
Screen shot of cover of story: The Racist History of Abortion and Midwifery Bans
The Racist History of Abortion and Midwifery Bans
Story - Written
Brought to you by ACLU
Photo of a person's hand on a rock with text that reads
ExploreMoHealth: An Example of How One State is Taking Health Data to the Next Level
Story - Original
Brought to you by Community Commons
Published on 04/10/2018
Screen shot of top of written article: Decades After Forced Sterilization, Native American Women in the US Still Face Rejection and Retraumatization in Healthcare
Decades After Forced Sterilization, Native American Women in the US Still Face Rejection and Retraumatization in Healthcare
Story - Written
National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Reports
National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Reports
Tool
Screen shot of mapping tool: LGBTQ Identity Document Laws and Policies
LGBTQ Identity Document Laws and Policies
Tool - Data/mapping Tool
Screen capture of article photo: Dental Care Health Professional Shortage Areas
Dental Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs)
Tool - Data/mapping Tool
Engagement Tool and Resource Repository
Engagement Tool and Resource Repository
Tool
Screenshot of website cover: Do Ask, Do Tell: A Toolkit for Collecting Data on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Clinical Settings
Do Ask, Do Tell: A Toolkit for Collecting Data on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Clinical Settings
Tool - Toolkit/toolbox
Screenshot of cover photo: LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Index 2022
Healthcare Equality Index 2022
Tool - Data/mapping Tool
Screenshot of data tool slides: Imagine Fox Cities: Well-Being Data Tool
Imagine Fox Cities: Well-Being Data Tool
Tool - Data/mapping Tool
Screen grab of Rural Oral Health Toolkit
Rural Oral Health Toolkit
Tool - Toolkit/toolbox

Data & Metrics

HPSA Find
Dataset

 Related Topics

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Healthcare Access

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Oral Health

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Health Equity

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Black and African Americans