Health disparities among highly vulnerable populations in the United States: a call to action for medical and oral health care

Abstract

Healthcare in the United States (US) is burdened with enormous healthcare disparities associated with a variety of factors including insurance status, income, and race. Highly vulnerable populations, classified as those with complex medical problems and/or social needs, are one of the fastest growing segments within the US. Over a decade ago, the US Surgeon General publically challenged the nation to realize the importance of oral health and its relationship to general health and well-being, yet oral health disparities continue to plague the US healthcare system. Interprofessional education and teamwork has been demonstrated to improve patient outcomes and provide benefits to participating health professionals. We propose the implementation of interprofessional education and teamwork as a solution to meet the increasing oral and systemic healthcare demands of highly vulnerable US populations.

Emergency Department Admissions for Dental & Oral Health Concerns in Rural Northwestern Pennsylvania

“…Our findings support national trends that shows ED admissions for dental and other oral health concerns are Uninsured Age 59+ N (%) 7 (0.5) 1 (0.4) 2 (0.9) 0 (0.0) 1 (3.9) increasing. This study further supports previous studies that illustrate the use of EDs for dental and other oral health concerns are impacting clinical healthcare and public health services both locally and nationally [1]- [3] [10] [15]- [18]. Our data shows that the Meadville Medical Center ED is being used for more than just dental injuries.…”

“…At the Meadville Medical Center, there are approximately 35,000 ED admissions each year; informal observations from the ED physicians and hospital administrators indicate that dental and other oral health admissions are prevalent and increasing in frequency. Results from an analysis of Ed admissions can be used to understand the patterns of admissions and lead to the creation of policies and programs to improve the dental and oral health of individuals living in the Meadville area [15]- [18]. Our research aims to determine the prevalence of dental and other oral health ED admissions as well as patterns of patient demographics for those seeking care for dental and oral health concerns in the Meadville Medical Center ED from 2004-2014.…”

Interprofessional Collaboration and Patient Health Outcomes in Urban Disadvantaged Settings: A Grounded Theory Study

“…Many studies explicitly call for measuring the relationship between IPCP and patient health outcomes and exploring how IPCP effects changes in healthcare and patient health outcomes (B. F. Brandt, 2014;Reeves et al, 2013;Reeves et al, 2008;Zwarenstein et al, 2009), yet this call remains largely unanswered in the literature. This evidence gap is particularly poignant when IPCP is envisioned in the context of the health and healthcare disparities (Fiscella & Epstein, 2008;Institute of Medicine, 2002;Krist, Johnson, Callahan, Woolf, & Marsland, 2005;Perloff, Kletke, & Fossett, 1995) faced by socioeconomically disadvantaged communities (Vanderbilt et al, 2013;Xyrichis & Lowton, 2008).…”

How discourses of social vulnerability can influence nurse–patient interactions: A Foucauldian analysis

“…In Denmark, the life span of socially vulnerable women and men is, on average, 17 and 22 years shorter than the average Danish person (Dybbroe & Kappel, ; Glasdam, ). Accordingly, healthcare in the United States (US) is reported to be burdened with enormous disparities, and vulnerable populations are some of the fastest growing segments in the United States (Vanderbilt et al, ). Studies show that US low‐income individuals experience more barriers to care and receive poorer quality care than high‐income individuals (Artiga, ; Vanderbilt et al, ); this is similar to Danish conditions.…”

“…Accordingly, healthcare in the United States (US) is reported to be burdened with enormous disparities, and vulnerable populations are some of the fastest growing segments in the United States (Vanderbilt et al, ). Studies show that US low‐income individuals experience more barriers to care and receive poorer quality care than high‐income individuals (Artiga, ; Vanderbilt et al, ); this is similar to Danish conditions. This indicates that health inequity among socially vulnerable populations is a serious issue across borders and cultures.…”