Cover Story: Exploring Health Disparities
In this special issue of Kansas Medicine + Science, we are taking a closer look at the impact health disparities are having on the health of Americans.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies health disparities as, “preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence or opportunities to achieve optimal health that are experienced by socially disadvantaged populations.” a health care disparity also refers to differences between population groups in health insurance coverage, access to care and quality of care.
Like many aspects of public health, the root causes of health disparities are complex. Health is influenced by so many factors that it can be difficult to pinpoint just why a gap between two groups is so wide. Social drivers — like racism, sexism, ableism, classism or homophobia — can perpetuate inequities by prioritizing one group over another.
As you will read in this issue, the researchers and clinicians at the University of Kansas Medical Center are using innovative approaches to address the health disparities being experienced by populations in Kansas and throughout the country.
Also in this issue