Racine County, Wisconsin - Research Paper Example

? Racine County, Wisconsin Racine County, Wisconsin Introduction Non-native Americans are exposed to a multitude of social factorsthat have the ability to impact negatively on their health status including mental and physical health. The social determinant factors make up some of the most significant stressors and adverse life experiences affecting the health of non-native Americans. Racism and discrimination are significant aspects of life of non-native Americans, and they have to deal with it in their daily lives. There is growing evidence that racism and discrimination are not only emotionally harmful, but are potentially damaging to non-native Americans. Increased research on this topic applying innovative approaches is beginning to reveal the negative impacts arising from racism and discrimination (Collins & Williams, 2001). Racism and discrimination have been associated with a number of health complications such as chronic respiratory, cardiovascular, and pain related health complications. Racism and discrimination affect a person’s health in a number of ways. Considering child development, impacts of negative environment that are linked with racism and segregation produce serious effects on the health and development of a child. Intergenerational and life-long impacts of racism and discrimination reveal that the health impacts of racism are carried forward within individuals and across generation (Anderson et al, 1997). Racine County, Wisconsin According, to the 2012 population estimates, the county of Racine was estimated to have 194, 797 people. Half of the population lives in the city of Racine and over 90% of the county’s population live in the eastern side of the county. The county has much of its population made of non-native Americans. This population make up has an immense impact on access to health care, healthy food, mental care, and drug and alcohol treatment to the minorities living in Racine County. The non-natives living in Racine reside in racially segregated neighborhoods, which vary significantly on several essential social, environmental, and economic factors. Variations in the highlighted factors produce negative impacts on the health status of non-natives in Racine County (Wisconsin Women’s Council, 2012). Minorities in Racine are prone to health risks arising from racism and discrimination, which lead to stressors that are worsened by residential segregation. As a point of consideration, residential segregation impacts negatively on the health of minorities in a number of ways. Segregation puts minorities in regions that have limited human and financial resources. These areas are characterized by inadequate health care, inadequate healthy food, toxic living conditions, poor public education, poor housing conditions, increased disorder and crime as well as high rates of incarceration. The chance for the minorities to improve their health status is hindered by the fact they live in segregation. This comes with lack of access to jobs, lack of economic investment, poor schooling, and inadequate public services, which are all crucial in improving a person’s health (Baquet et al, 2005). Non-natives continue to face significant discrimination relative to the natives in both access to health care and the nature of care they receive from health facilities. Increasing evidence supports that non-natives residing in Racine receive low quality and intensity health care as opposed to their native counterparts (Williams, 2000). This is evident even in situations where the non-natives are insured just like the natives and have health issues similar to those of the natives. Factors that contribute to the disparity in access to health care between the natives and the non-natives include policies and practices within the health care system, the behavior of people working in the health sector, and the legal and regulatory framework under which the health sector operates. Other contributing factors include language barriers, lack of adequate insurance coverage, and unbalanced allocation of health care resources. In addition, establishment of separate health care for minority and low income earners as well as the absence of regular source of health care, contributes to the existing disparity between natives and non-natives (Williams, 2000). Social factors are vital in shaping health practices within a given community. In this case, health practices by race create a link between race and chronic medical conditions. Factors such as dietary behavior, alcohol abuse, use of tobacco, and physical activities are potential risk factors for chronic diseases. Disadvantaged racial groups are less likely to engage in health behaviors that put them under less risk of suffering from chronic diseases. This is because the minorities have less knowledge on healthy habits as well as inadequate resources to improve on their health status. Racial discrimination on the non-natives pushes them to live in neighborhoods that expose them to unhealthy behavioral practices. Unsafe neighborhoods where minorities are concentrated lack quality recreational facilities and open grounds, which are essential in reducing risks of chronic diseases (Emerson & Read, 2005). Non-natives also face the challenge of obtaining healthy food products in grocery stores and farm lands. Therefore, much of what is consumed by the minorities is not of health benefit, which puts them into serious health risks. It has also been observed that harmful products such as tobacco and alcohol are heavily marked in areas dominated by the minority communities. This is due the fact that this group is less informed on good health habits due to poor public education system as well as lack of extension programs to educate the minorities. Racism and discrimination are major contributors of the reduced levels of health insurance coverage among the non-natives living in Racine (Gadson, 2006). Incarceration is a significant aspect of the non-natives living in Racine. Racial discrimination leaves the non-natives with few life options (Braithwaite & Xanthos, 2009). Research based evidence indicate that the level of incarceration among the non-natives is high compared to that of the natives. This is attributed to high rates of suspension and expulsion from schools. There is strong evidence that there is a strong association between incarceration and a person’s health status. Incarceration subjects a person under severe stress due to the fact that prisons are high stress environments. Therefore, persons exposed to such conditions are likely to suffer for poor health. In addition, the stress associated with life after incarceration may impact negatively on the health of a person. Therefore, incarceration and its relation stressors is significant in determining the health status of the non-natives (Massoglia, 2008). Racism and discrimination has been thought to impact on health and health habits directly through heightened and extended stimulation of the body’s physiological response to stress. Research based evidence support that stress has negative impacts on physical health mainly by producing negative emotional states, which include depression, low self-esteem, and anxiety. These mental conditions have adverse effects on biological processes such as behavioral patterns that impact on disease risks and mortality. Under such conditions, the affected persons resort to high risk behaviors such as alcohol and substance abuse. The same conditions also drive the affected persons into crime activities, which finally lead them into prisons where they suffer additional health problems (Gee et al, 2006). Lack of proper mental health care for persons who are racially discriminated produces detrimental effects on the immune and cardiovascular systems. This increases their vulnerability to a wide range of infections and chronic medical conditions. Racism and discrimination in Racine County has had indirect impacts on the health of minorities living in the county. This occurs as a result of differential exposure to other social determinants of health such as employment and education. Just like racism and discrimination, similar health challenges are produced by unemployment and lack of education. In summary, there is sufficient evidence supporting the link between racism and health outcomes of minorities living in Racine County. Racism exposes minorities to inadequate health care, exposure to unhealthy food, poor mental health care, exposure to toxic substances, incarceration, and crime by race. In addition, racism leads to segregation, which leads to social and economic deprivation (Corbie-Smith et al, 2002). Source: http://unamusementpark.com/2011/08/race-and-crime-in-wisconsin/ References Anderson, N., Jackson, J., Williams, D.R., & Yu, Y. (1997). Racial differences in physical and mental health: socioeconomic status, stress, and discrimination. Journal of Health Psychology 2(3), 335–51 Baquet, C., Blatt. L., Gbarayor, C., Mullins, D., & Yang, K. (2005). Health disparities: a barrier to high-quality care. American Journal of Health Syst Pharma-col 62 (2), 1873–82 Braithwaite, H. K. & Xanthos, C. (2009). Disadvantages in mental health care among African Americans. Journal of Health Care Poor Underserved 20(2A), 17–23 Collins, C. & Williams, D. R (2001). Racial residential segregation: a fundamental cause of racial disparities in health. Public Health Report 116(5), 404–16. Corbie-Smith, G., Flagg, E. W., Doyle, J. P., & O'Brien, M. (2002). Influence of usual source of care on differences by race/ethnicity in receipt of preventive services. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 17(6):458-464. Emerson, M. O. & Read, J.G. (2005). Racial context. Black immigration and the U.S. Black/White health disparity. Soc Forces 84 (1), 181– 99 Gadson, G. (2006). The third world health status of Black American males. Journal of National Medical Association 98(4), 488–91 Gee, G. C., Ryan, A., Laflamme, D. J., & Holt, J. (2006). Self-reported discrimination and mental health status among African descendants, Mexican Americans, and other Latinos in the New Hampshire REACH 2010 Initiative: the added dimension of immigration. American Journal of Public Health, 96 (10):1821-1828. Massoglia, M. (2008). Incarceration as exposure: the prison, infectious disease, and other stress-related illnesses. Journal Health Sociological Behavior 49(1), 56–71. Williams, D. R. (2000). Race, SES, and health: the added effects of racism and discrimination. Academic Science 896 (4), 173–188. Read More