Minch 1

Madie Minch

Dr. Elizabeth Hudson

PS 1010 Discussion

2 February, 2017

Memo 1

Population Structures

Equal and affordable healthcare has been a long-term goal in our government as

demonstrated by Medicare and Medicaid. Problems faced by the minority low-income

population often include lower self-related health, death from heart disease, high blood pressure,

and obesity, (Bantz 4). Decent healthcare is only readily available to those who are not in a

minority group. Immigrants and low-income families are among those who have the least access

to healthcare; followed by minority ethnic groups and women.

A study done from 1996-2002 has shown that access to healthcare for Mexican

immigrants in regions that speak primarily Spanish is relatively easy for them to obtain while the

same healthcare options in other regions are not made readily available to many ethnic groups,

including Hispanics. The principal findings for this study were summed up with the following

statement: For Mexican American immigrants, living in an area populated by relatively more

Spanish speakers or more Hispanic immigrants is associated with better access to care. The

associations are generally stronger for more recent immigrants compared with those who are

better established, (Gresenz, Rogowski, and Escarce). This study has concluded that differences

in language, appearance, social standing, and/or ethnicity can have an impact on Mexican-

Americans and, most likely, other ethnic groups as well. The study also discovered that

Hispanics are less likely to have insurance coverage and a usual source of care compared with
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whites, have fewer ambulatory visits to physicians than whites, and are less likely than whites to

receive screening for colon cancer, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure, (Gresenz, et al).

The primary reason for the difference between healthcare received by Hispanics and that

received by whites being that decent healthcare is made more available to whites than to racial

minorities.

Others who have issues obtaining affordable healthcare are those below the poverty line.

A student at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at the University of Indiana named

Emily Bantz wrote a thesis which focused on families in financial distress and their struggles

obtaining healthcare. Bantz pulls information from the Working Families Study, a qualitative

study of low-income families during the recession, (Bantz 2). The study interviewed

participants in Southeast Michigan (mainly those living within Detroit) six times between 2006

and 2011 and inquired about their experiences in obtaining healthcare. The study found that most

of the women who participated receive healthcare through Medicare but their needs remain

unmet if participants are unable to afford co-pays, prescriptions, and other uncovered costs,

(Bantz 2). The issue is that not all low-income families qualify for Medicare or Medicaid and are

therefore left without any form of healthcare. To receive coverage under MIChild an individual

must be under the age of 19, have no insurance or Medicaid, have a social security number,

reside in Michigan, meet monthly family income limits and be a U.S. citizen or qualifying

immigrant, (Bantz 6).

In an interview I conducted with an RN, Nikolette Sharples, at the Detroit Childrens

Hospital, it was reported that while Poverty level people seem to still get insurance for free

those that are just above poverty level and middle class have a harder time affording good
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healthcare, (Sharples). Ms. Sharples also revealed to me that most of her patients are at or

below the poverty level.

Healthcare is a basic human necessity and should be made readily available to everyone,

including racial minorities and low-income families. The government has taken steps to improve

healthcare in the past but the difference between the healthcare intended for racial minorities and

that intended for whites as well as the amount of people who are not eligible for

Medicaid/Medicare is still too high to ignore.

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Works Cited

Gresenz, Carole Roan, Jeannette Rogowski, and Jos J. Escarce. "Community Demographics and

Access to Health Care among U.S. Hispanics." Health Services Research 44 (2009

October): n. pag. Web.

Bantz, Emily. The Health Status of Low-income Study Participants in Detroit, Michigan and the

Long-term Health Impact of Being Uninsured. Thesis. Indiana University, 2012. N.p.:

n.p., n.d. Print.

Sharples, Nikolette. "Healthcare Equity Interview." Interview by Madison Minch. N.p., 27 Jan.

2017. Web. 27 Jan. 2017.