Poverty and health disparities: lessons and solutions for health care providers

Health care disparities exist in the United States. Social inequalities contributing to disparities in health care include poverty, socioeconomic status, being uninsured, one's life course, and being unemployed. Each social inequality has an effect on health status and produces a gradient of poor health and mortality that spans all socioeconomic strata. Selected policies implemented in the United States have resulted in perpetuating health care disparities and negative health outcomes for certain populations. Health care professionals are in a strategic position to implement pragmatic strategies for eliminating some health disparities. Strategies discussed include changes at the following levels: personal, worksite, professional association, community, and civic.