Race and Social Problems Essay Example

The article majorly compares the effects of residential segregation and health outcomes on the Latinos, whites and African Americans. The abstract starts by examining the development of residential segregation and health outcomes between the African Americans and the Latinos. The literature of the Latinos on the issue is limited due to inadequate data which brings indefinite results. A study was then established to better the relationship between residential segregation and health outcomes among the Latinos. The study uses data from 2011 and 2012 collected from 164 metropolitan areas in the United States. The issue is negative and confirms a health gap between the Latinos and their white counterparts.

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The introduction summarizes the cause of the health gap between the Latinos and the whites and the origins of health disparities among the Latinos. The study was conducted to establish how space and place affect health outcomes. Results reveal that although the mortality rate of the Latinos and the whites are almost similar, the Latinos suffer a wider variety of diseases as compared to the whites. Research also shows inconsistency in the relationship between residential segregation and health outcomes among the Latinos. The necessary interpretation of the previous statement is that the studies do not tell whether the separation negatively or positively affects the health outcomes of the Latinos. Disparities portrayed by the findings of this research are believed to be influenced by defined factors. For example, misleading data such as wrong measurements and wrong analysis of the data. The article also talks about a different study that aims at addressing the limitations of the inconsistency of the findings.

The relationship between residential segregation and the Latino's lifestyle is still indefinite. Unlike the African Americans, the Latinos residential placement is by choice. Consequently, African Americans are affected negatively as stated by the article and are termed as another form of institutional discrimination. The report also outlines poverty as an effect of residential segregation. According to the article, poverty is easily contained among the racial groups' place in one geographical area. In other words, more impoverished people placed in one area encourage the growth of poverty which in turn brings about economic disfranchisement. White people are not subjected to such effects because the poor whites have been evenly distributed in the community which in turn brings neutrality. Although the article numerously mentions the inconsistency of the effects of residential segregation on the Latinos, the findings for blacks can act as a guideline on the same. The author points out some of the social factors that bring about health problems n segregated areas. They include environmental factors, inaccessibility to high quality foods and physical disorder. The article also addresses the issue of mortality rates about the segregation. The author goes ahead and criticizes the errors made by the researchers for example; the researches concentrate less on the critical part of the study while conducting the study. The segment is summarized by mentioning three health disparities among the Latinos. For example; access to personal doctors or physicians, good health and health-care coverage.

The article suggests that since residential segregation is to be examined with health and health-care access, a strategic method of data collection should be used. The author goes ahead and explains the kind of data collected, the institutions in which the data was collected and the year. One of the methods used to collect data was by interviewing random individuals who brought about the average response. To assess the data, it was divided into two categories namely the independent and dependent variables. Dependent variables include self-rated health, personal physician and health insurance. It is mentioned that three questions led the research. The aim of collecting data was to answer the three specific questions. The author believes that the problems were raised as concerns and therefore had to be addressed through the study. Isolation among the Latinos has been emphasized as a method is collecting the data through observation. The isolated Latinos suffer the most negative impacts that come with the segregation. Tables have been used to better the understanding of the examination as they are easier to comprehend and more comfortable to follow.

After proper analysis of the data collected, the findings state that whites outdo the Latinos in different socioeconomic aspects. For example, more whites have personal physicians and health insurances as compared to the Latinos. Also, the Latinos are less likely to be in perfect health as compared to the whites. In the employment sector, the Latinos are also significantly disadvantaged as compared to the whites due to the low educational attainment. It is clear that the Latinos are disadvantaged by most socioeconomic factors. Isolation among the Latinos brings about adverse effects. A Latino in isolation is less likely to get a personal physician as compared to an exposed Latino. Concerning the previous statement, isolated Latinos are also the ones who suffer from the worst health conditions. It creates a huge health gap between the Latinos and the whites which mean, the Latinos feel the adverse effect.

Conclusion

The conclusion segment in the article starts by clearly indicating the initial purpose of the research which was to find out how the segregation affects the health and health-care among the Latinos. Since most studies prove to bring inconsistent results due to the limited geographical scope of the research and the type of health effects, a new method was used which entailed comparing the Latinos to the whites. The comparison helped establish the gaps that are brought about by socioeconomic factors such as health-care. Studies have shown that the African Americans concerning the segregation suffer most negative health implications. However, certain socioeconomic factors such as poverty and poor health access directly affect the Latinos with the exclusion. As mentioned earlier, the study aims at addressing the limitations in the other similar studies. However, the study also suffers its flaws such as the inability to divide the Latinos into smaller subgroups and failure to account for the ethnic differences among the Latinos. The discussions related to the subject are made from the tables made during data collection in this segment. The tables analyze the data easy and are a perfect way of concluding. The author does not forget to state the advantages that set this particular study apart from the previous studies conducted on the same topic and acknowledge the individuals who contribute to the success of the study.

References

Rahman, M., & Foster, A. D. (2015). Racial segregation and quality of care disparity in US nursing homes. Journal of health economics, 39, 1-16.

Smedley, B., Jeffries, M., Adelman, L., & Cheng, J. (2016). Race, racial inequality and health inequities: Separating myth from fact. Unnatural Causess