Prevention Matters

A new report from the Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) highlights the continued concern of disparities in our healthcare system. As in previous reports, the disparities relate to race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status and "are prevalent in almost all areas of healthcare, including preventive care, treatment of acute conditions, and managment of chronic diseases".

The widest gap was seen between low-income and high-income patients, followed by Hispanics and non-Hispanics, then blacks and whites. The report also highlights the importance of the new healthcare reform law. Not surprisingly it showed that uninsured people were far less likely to receive preventive services, including mammograms, Pap smears, dental care, counseling about diet and exercise, and flu vaccination.

Christianne Johnson
Program Manager
Partnership for Prevention