Fundamentals of Nursing Q 362
Disparities in health outcomes between the rich and the poor illustrates: a (an)
A. Illness attributed to natural, impersonal, and biological forces.
B. Creation of own interpretation and descriptions of biological and psychological malfunctions.
C. Influence of socioeconomic factors in morbidity and mortality.
D. Combination of naturalistic, religious, and supernatural modalities.
Correct Answer: C. Influence of socioeconomic factors in morbidity and mortality.
Disparities in health outcomes between the rich and the poor illustrate the influence of socioeconomic factors in morbidity and mortality. Social factors such as poverty and lack of universal medical insurance compromise the health status of the poor and unemployed. Health and health care disparities refer to differences in health and health care between groups that are closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage. Disparities occur across many dimensions, including race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, location, gender, disability status, and sexual orientation.
Option A: A complex and interrelated set of individual, provider, health system, societal, and environmental factors contribute to disparities in health and health care. Individual factors include a variety of health behaviors from maintaining a healthy weight to following medical advice. Provider factors encompass issues such as provider bias and cultural and linguistic barriers to patient-provider communication.
Option B: Health and health care disparities are commonly viewed through the lens of race and ethnicity, but they occur across a broad range of dimensions. For example, disparities occur across socioeconomic status, age, geography, language, gender, disability status, citizenship status, and sexual identity and orientation.
Option D: A “health care disparity” typically refers to differences between groups in health insurance coverage, access to and use of care, and quality of care. Health and health care disparities often refer to differences that are not explained by variations in health needs, patient preferences, or treatment recommendations and are closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage.