What are two public policies needed to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in health care?

Social determinants of Health and Public Health Disparities

1. Accessing health care more easily: A public policy that reduces racial or ethnic inequalities in healthcare is to make it easier for people of all races and backgrounds to have access to affordable, equitable and accessible health services. You could achieve this by using a variety of strategies, including expanding Medicaid eligibility, funding community-based clinics and subsidizing insurance premiums for families with low incomes.

2. Improved cultural competence among healthcare providers is an important policy for decreasing racial or ethnic disparities. It also affects the quality of minority patients’ care. Namely, there needs to be an emphasis on improving cultural competence among providers so that they are better equipped to understand the unique needs of patients from different backgrounds and provide culturally sensitive treatments tailored specifically toward those populations’ concerns.