NBNA BRIEFING PAPER ON HEALTH CARE DISPARITIES
The disparities in health care continue to be one of the
most critical issues affecting African Americans in this country. The Heckler
Report of the 1980's identified ten major preventable health issues which, if
properly addressed could contribute to increasing the life span of African American
women, men and children. Ten years later, Healthy People 2000 provided the blueprint
for addressing the devastating health problems America, and Blacks in particular,
faced. Now, in 2002 there is alarming information on the widening of gaps in
health care between African Americans and others. Healthy People 2010, again
recommends the strategies necessary to address the continued disparities.
Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, HIV/AIDS, mental
health, women and children's health continue to plague minorities, specifically
African Americans at alarming rates. For African Americans, when compared to
whites, the infant mortality rate is twice as high, coronary heart disease is
40% more, women have a higher death rate from breast cancer, the death rate
from HIV/AIDS is seven times more, and the rate of homicide is six times that
of whites. Additionally, women who are poor, on welfare, less educated, unemployed
and from certain racial and ethnic populations are more likely to experience
depression.
The National Black Nurses Association is guided by the principle
that African American nurses have the understanding, knowledge, interest, concern,
and the expertise to make a significant difference in the health care status
of African American communities across the nation. NBNA is committed to improving
the quality of life of persons who share the African American heritage and other
ethnic groups by:
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Building consumer knowledge
and understanding health care issues;
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Educating and mentoring registered
nurses, license vocational/practical nurses, nursing students and retired
nurses;
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Facilitating the professional
development and career advancement of nurses in emerging health care systems.
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Therefore, in order to improve and enhance the health care
of African Americans, NBNA recommends support of the following initiatives,
which includes expanded funding for:
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Nursing education targeted to
increase the number of ethnic minority nurses at the baccalaureate degree
level.
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Education and training of health
care providers who will provide culturally competent and culturally relevant
health care services.
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Faculty development and recruitment
to address the dwindling nurse workforce.
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Training of more nurse scientists
as faculty, researchers and health policy experts who can address the racial
and ethnic health care disparities that disproportionately impact African
Americans.
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Research to determine staffing
ratios and patient outcomes, factors contributing to patient errors and
safety, and how to create a safe health care delivery system.
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Increased funding for demonstration
programs/research for the development of cultural competency in nursing
care delivery. |
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Increased funding for more ethnic
minority researchers to do research with ethnic minority subjects. |
The NBNA Briefing Paper on Health Care Disparities was presented
during the National Black Nurses Day on Capitol Hill on February 7, 2002.
2/6/2002