Culbertson Memorial Hospital issued the following announcement on May 23.
It’s no secret that human beings all share similar experiences, yet have different cultures, languages, foods, and social norms. The world has become more interdependent as technology makes it easier to interact with people on the opposite side of the world. With technology increasing in all fields (to include the medical field), we learn more about our bodies and how they work every day—we even learn about how our special differences affect our bodies differently, too.
What is minority health?
Minority health relates to the type of diseases, conditions, or illnesses that are associated with a person of a certain minority demographic. This minority group could be of racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, gender, socioeconomic class, or level of education. Research has shown that dependent on the demographic, certain illnesses or conditions can be developed over time without proper preventative health care or knowledge of the condition at all.
Why are certain minorities at risk for different types of medical conditions?
Due to the intersections of numerous social and financial disadvantages presented by any given minority demographic, some people may not be able to prevent a wide range of diseases or conditions. Even the general public lacks proper resources and information on the issues faced by minority groups everywhere.
What types of conditions do minority groups tend to suffer from?
Minority health does not center on just one type of minority population. The intersectionality of a person, or multiple identifications of various demographics, makes the issue of minority health even more complicated. For example, a rural family could be less likely to have access to a healthier food retailer than persons living in urban tracts, leading to issues resulting from poor nutrition; but, a rural family of a non-Hispanic black racial demographic could be at a higher risk for developing adult diabetes due to cultural factors and in being removed from healthier food options.
Where can I learn more about minority health?
To learn more about minority health, visit any of the following websites:
Office of Minority Health (OMH)
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
To schedule an appointment for any of Culbertson’s services or to answer any questions, please feel free to contact us at (217) 322- 4321.
Also, stay tuned for National Minority Health Month next April to learn more about how you can bring awareness to the issues of minority health!
Original source can be found here.
Source: Culbertson Memorial Hospital
Alerts Sign-up