nsg week 3

The podcast discusses health disparities in Arizona and the contributing factors from the five domains of social determinants of health. The selected measure shows a disparity among the Caucasian community in accessing necessary care. Economic stability, education, health and healthcare access, neighborhood and built environment, and social and community context all play a role in this disparity. To address the issue, policies can be implemented to improve economic stability and enhance healthcare access. By considering these social determinants of health, we can work towards reducing disparities and promoting health equity. Hello and welcome to my podcast. Today we're going to be talking about health disparities with a focus on social determinants of health. My name is Alora, and I'm studying to be an advanced practice nurse, and I'll be your host for today. Today we're going to be discussing an important measure of disparity within the state of Arizona and analyzing the contributing factors through the lens of the five domains of social determinants of health. I found these measures on the National Healthcare Quality and Disparity Reports website. It's pretty cool. They have a section where you can play around and filter to your area to see what measures pop up. They have a section where you can search by the state and sort through the data using different filters, if you're interested. The measure I've selected today is adults who had doctor's office or clinic visits in the last 12 months and need care, tests, and or treatment who sometimes or never found it easy to get the care, tests or treatment for Medicare-managed patients. This measure depicts an existing disparity, particularly among the Caucasian community. The benchmark indicates the proportion of individuals who receive the essential care and any deviation from it signals a gap in care. Now let's dive right into the factors contributing to this disparity across the five domains of social determinants of health, starting with economic stability. Economic factors such as income level and employment status play a very significant role. Limited financial resources may hinder access to healthcare services and quality healthcare services at that, including tests and treatment and continuation of care. Financial resources can also hinder the ability to travel to these tests and treatments, whether it be by car, bus, or rideshare services. Moving on, the next one is education. Education attainment influences health literacy and awareness of the importance of regular care testing and treatment. Lower levels of education may correlate with reduced healthcare utilization and adherence to the recommended plan of care. Number three, health and healthcare. Access to healthcare services, including availability of healthcare providers, transportation to appointments, health insurance coverage, can all impact an individual's ability to access said tests and treatment and continuation of care. Number four would be neighborhood and built environment. Environmental factors such as neighborhood safety, availability of healthcare facilities in that said community, and access to nutritious food influence health behaviors and outcomes. Communities with limited healthcare resources may face challenges in providing continued care. The last one, number five, social and community context. Cultural beliefs, social support networks, and community resources can be a pivotal factor that shapes an individual's health behaviors and healthcare-seeking behaviors. Tailored educational programs and community outreach initiatives may help address barriers to preventative care utilization. To reduce the identified disparities, two social determinants of health that could be addressed include, number one being the economic stability. Implementing policies to improve economic stability, such as increasing access to job training programs, affordable housing initiatives, and assistance for healthcare expenses. These efforts can alleviate financial barriers to continuation of care, tests, and treatments. Number two would be health and healthcare. Enhancing healthcare access through expansion of telehealth services, mobile clinics, and culturally competent healthcare providers can improve the availability and accessibility of said tests, treatments, and continuation of care for the underserved population. By addressing these social determinants of health, we can work towards reducing disparities and promoting health equity for all individuals in our community. Thank you for listening to my podcast, and remember, addressing health disparities requires a comprehensive approach that considers the multifaceted influences of social determinants of health. Tune in next time. Thanks, guys.