Reduce Health Disparities

In the article titled, “Translating Research Evidence Into Practice to Reduce Health Disparities: A Social Determinants Approach,” Howard K. Koh et al. discusses the effects of social factors relating to poor health. Throughout this research study, the authors mention ways to reduce poor health and the use of a social determinants approach to effectively better our health care systems (Koh, 2010). There have been many factors leading to the inability to eliminate health disparities, the major one being the lack of health insurance. Koh explains that understanding the word “health” is necessary when eliminating disparities (2010). Instead of looking solely at biological factors in health disparities, it is just as important to look toward economic and environmental factors as well as social support systems and access to health services and policies. In order to overcome these disparities, these authors believe that we must come together as a team to research the main reason that certain communities are struggling with their health. Is it low income? Poor living conditions? Lack …show more content…
However, efficacy research has been put on the back burner to effectiveness research where the importance of real world implementation is stressed. The authors explain efficacy and effectiveness together when studying inequities because the separation of the two is what drives health inequities. According to this article, “Effectiveness comes through brief, carefully constructed, and feasible interventions that public health workers can implement in multiple real-world settings” (Koh et all, 2010). In order to reduce health disparities, the authors claim that effectiveness will get the job done by working together at an individual, as well as, community