Open AccessParallel Tracks
Author(s) -
Tawara D. Goode,
Olivia CarterPokras,
Willi HornerJohnson,
Silvia Yee
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
medical care
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.632
H-Index - 178
eISSN - 1537-1948
pISSN - 0025-7079
DOI - 10.1097/mlr.0000000000000201
Subject(s) - ethnic group , health equity , race (biology) , public health , inclusion (mineral) , affect (linguistics) , race and health , gerontology , population , political science , psychology , medicine , environmental health , sociology , gender studies , social psychology , nursing , communication , law
Public policy driving health disparities research has overwhelmingly focused on racial and ethnic populations other than non-Hispanic whites; these groups have historically been and continue to be disproportionately impacted by health disparities. Only recently has public policy focused on the inclusion of people with disabilities as a distinct health disparities population. These 2 areas of research have traveled parallel paths with little recognition of the health disparities that affect people at the intersection of race, ethnicity, and disability. This commentary reflects on the history, foci, and current status of these 2 separate tracks of health disparities research. We conclude the commentary with suggestions for merging the 2 tracks to develop research that addresses both disability as well as race and ethnicity.