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The need to stop the cycle and improve the quality of healthcare received by minority patients has not gone unnoticed by the government and health practitioners. Since the 1980's the US government has implemented 10-year plans aimed at improving the infrastructure within the public health system. Healthy People 2010: Health People in Healthy Communities, the current project, lists the elimination of health disparities between socioeconomic classes by increasing access to healthcare and health education as one of its primary goals.
In addition to increasing access, educating people about healthy lifestyles and the consequences of unhealthy habits also decreases chances of preventable diseases. Creating healthcare material comprehensible to the average American and the 60 million Americans unable to read warning labels on prescriptions and medical paper, would address some of the shortcomings in public health. According to Dr. Fullilove, there are more medical errors associated with the poor quality of education than anything else.
Cultural values which relate to health and illness practices
of African-Americans should be incorporated into the
health-care delivery systems, advocates Nancy Jewell of the
Indiana State Department of Health and Kathleen Russell
of Ball State University. While researching the health of
African Americans, they identified community and cultural
values as the biggest influence for African Americans. They
found that, "tapping into already informal and formal community
networks for healthcare services" would increase
sensitivity in healthcare practitioners and have a greater
impact in the health of African Americans. One study conducted
in a Baltimore primary care facility witnessed "significantly
increased" utilization of services -- after the implementation
of certain policies. The changes the clinic made
included "decreasing time required for making an appointment,
providing a daily 24-hr telephone answering service,
increasing privacy of clients within the healthcare facility,and providing consistency of health personnel through the
assignment of the same primary care provider and team
members to each family."