Advancing Health Equity in our Communities

Where you live, work, and were raised all play significant roles in your health and your access to equitable health care. While modern medicine has made tremendous strides in advancing treatment options and prevention methods, health disparities continue to affect communities of color at higher rates. 

To combat these health disparities and improve health equity, we must take a closer look at common disparities in the United States. 

What is a Health Disparity? 

A health disparity is a preventable difference in health outcomes that tends to affect people from social, economic, or environmental disadvantages. 

“Identifying those differences in health outcomes allows us to focus on earlier detection, stronger follow-up care, and more consistent access for patients who need it most,” says Christina Paruthi, MD, a CommonSpirit Health cardiologist at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Group in Houston, Texas. 

Health disparities are often influenced by several factors related to unequal distribution of resources, such as: 

• Access to health care 

• Insurance coverage 

• Access to transportation 

• Environmental conditions 

What are Examples of Health Disparities? 

In the United States, common examples of health disparities among racial minority groups include:  

• Higher rates of heart disease and hypertension (high blood pressure) 
• Higher rates of diabetes
• Higher rates of maternal mortality 

Heart Disease

Hypertension is one of the most common chronic conditions in the United States, affecting nearly half of all adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The American Heart Association reports that higher rates of hypertension, a major risk factor for heart disease, are found in Black adults compared to white adults in the U.S. 

In fact, Black adults have higher rates of cardiovascular death, as high blood pressure increases the risk of serious complications, such as: 

• Heart attack 
• Heart failure
• Stroke
• Kidney failure 

As cardiologists and heart health specialists explore what may be causing the higher rates of heart disease in Black adults, a few factors stand out: 

• Lower rates of routine blood pressure control
• Delayed diagnosis
• Reduced access to annual wellness visit 

“Cardiovascular health is closely tied to access — access to screenings, access to primary care, and access to education about risk factors,” says Dr. Paruthi. “When those pieces are in place, we see meaningful improvements in long-term heart health.”

Diabetes

Diabetes is more common in Black, Hispanic and Native American adults compared to white adults in the U.S, according to the 2020 National Diabetes Statistics Report. 

When your blood sugar stays consistently elevated, your blood vessels and organs will likely begin to feel the impact, increasing your risk of: 

• Kidney disease
• Vision impairment or blindness
• Nerve damage 
• Cardiovascular disease and stroke 

The 2020 report also concluded that Black, Hispanic and Native American adults are more likely to experience these diabetes-related complications. 

Without regular access to preventive screenings, education, and long-term disease management, your risk of developing diabetes increases. By improving access to education and care, health care providers and organizations can help combat the disease that affects around 40.1 million people in the US.

Maternal Mortality 

Pregnancy-related deaths occur both during pregnancy and postpartum. Many leading causes of maternal mortality include: 

• Cardiovascular conditions 
• Severe bleeding
• Blood pressure disorders like pre-eclampsia and eclampsia 
• Infection

These serious complications are at the forefront of ongoing healthy equity and health disparity discussions, as the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) reports that Black women experience higher rates of maternal mortality compared to white women. 

“When we examine maternal mortality disparities, cardiovascular health plays an important role,” says Dr. Paruthi. “Early identification and consistent monitoring before, during, and after pregnancy are critical steps in improving maternal outcomes.”

While maternal mortality is preventable, there are several factors to consider when combating this health disparity, such as: 

• Access to consistent prenatal care
• Regular check-ups and scans
• Access to postpartum care 
• Management for underlying conditions like hypertension and heart disease

Championing the common good

Advancing health equity is part of our commitment to improve the health of our community. By expanding access to high-quality care and health education, we can work to close the gap, ensuring everyone, regardless of who they are, has a chance to live their healthiest life. 

Our providers, staff, leadership and volunteers bring this commitment to life by:

• Expanding access to primary and preventive care 

• Increasing screenings for heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and cancer

• Strengthening prenatal and postpartum care

• Offering culturally inclusive care and language services

• Conducting Community Health Needs Assessments to identify local health disparities

• Investing in Community Health Improvement Grants that help local organizations address inequities

Improving health equity is not a one-time initiative — it requires ongoing evaluation, community engagement, and collaboration across health care systems and neighborhoods. We believe that, with your help, we can take measurable steps to improve minority health outcomes and ensure everyone receives the care they deserve. 

Learn more about our commitment to health equity and healthier futures for all.