Study

Minority Health and Health Disparities

Minority Health and Health Disparities

Achieving good health is a priority goal for individuals and populations in which race, gender, and socioeconomic status all play a part. Communities of lower socioeconomic status may experience more difficulty accessing health care, nutritious food options, and health education. Students who study minority health and health disparities are largely concerned with widening access to health care for underserved populations, as well as studying how resources can be distributed to more susceptible populations that are disproportionately affected by certain diseases. Students in this field become experts in the reasons for socioeconomic imbalance in the American health care system.

Find Academic Programs in Minority Health and Health Disparities

Sample Courses

American Indian Health Systems

The American Indian (AI) population suffers disproportionately from diabetes, obesity, and infant mortality. Social determinants of health and increased risk factors contribute to health disparities within the AI population. Health policies and cultural competence are integral to solving some of the most important health concerns. This course focuses on the underlying factors of successful health systems through the lens of American Indian health disparities.

Health Disparities and Economics

Health does not operate in a vacuum. It is intertwined with social, economic, and educational factors. Health disparities are the differences in overall rate of disease incidence, morbidity, and mortality, which leads to increased economic burden. This course will teach the future public health practitioners how play a critical role in the identification and elimination of health disparities.

Profiles in Minority Health and Health Disparities

Profile

Brooke Farrenkopf

One of my favorite and most rewarding public health memories was planning an on-campus panel on the Affordable Care Act that many students from a variety of disciplines attended. I was thrilled to see so many of my peers take a proactive approach to their health, and I was proud of my group for being able to understand the interests of our audience to effectively create an event that had such positive outcomes. Everyone left the event more educated and with an increased interest in benefitting the nations’ health, rather than simply their own health. I was happy to share that core message of public health with my peers.

See full profile
Profile

Paula Kamara

My motivation for a career in public health started with witnessing my mother care for war traumatized women and children in my village. Growing up in a war torn country - Sierra Leone, I was plagued by sickness, hunger, and distress. There was a wide-spread epidemic of diseases, such as malaria, Lassa fever, and typhoid fever. I watched many children suffer and die from disease and poverty. The memories of blood, open wounds and cries still linger in my mind. Consequently, that experience motivated me to embark on a career to help protect the health and well-being of people.

See full profile
Profile

Melissa Leon

I was inspired to study public health by mentoring elementary students in a disadvantaged area in New Jersey. Through the personal relationship I built with those students, I realized the effect we as individuals can have on others. I knew that I wanted to make a bigger impact in the lives of others.

See full profile
Load 6 More Profiles

See all Profiles in Public Health