Why the Difference?: Publications

Resources related to racial/ethnic disparities in medical care:

Why the Difference Speaker's Kit
Physicians have a key role to play in addressing disparities in medical care. As a first step in what ultimately must be a multifaceted effort, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation have undertaken this initiative to raise physician awareness about disparities in medical care, beginning with cardiac care. Included in this speaker's kit are materials that may assist you with your dialogue.
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Recent Editorials on Racial Disparities
The following editorials, written by the presidents of the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, discuss racial disparities in health care.
"Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Medical Care: Engaging Physicians in the Dialogue"
Drew Altman, President and CEO and Marsha Lillie-Blanton, Vice President and Director of the Race/Ethnicity and Health Care Program, Kaiser Family Foundation
BMJ USA (British Medical Journal USA)
"Racial Disparities - The Need for Research and Action"
Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, President and CEO and James Knickman, Vice President of Research and Evaluation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
New England Journal of Medicine

Key Facts: Race, Ethnicity and Medical Care
This chartbook is intended to serve as a quick reference on racial/ethnic disparities in health, health insurance coverage, and health care access and quality. The document highlights the best available data and research, providing a selective review of the literature. Section One gives an overview of the demographic characteristics of the U.S. population. Section Two presents measures of health status. Section Three profiles patterns of health insurance coverage. Section Four describes findings on access to primary and preventive care. Section Five documents findings on the use of specialty care for heart disease, cancer, asthma, and HIV/AIDS. Whenever possible, data are stratified by both race/ethnicity and by a measure of socioeconomic status.
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National Survey of Physicians Part I: Doctors on Disparities in Medical Care
Selected findings from the Kaiser Family Foundation's forthcoming National Survey of Physicians reveal that most physicians are aware of racial disparities in medical treatment for specific conditions, but they don't believe it is a widespread problem. In sharp contrast, African American physicians disagree with their fellow physicians with nearly eight in ten (77%) believing race and ethnicity impact how people are treated at least somewhat often. Physicians see insurance status as a key determinate of treatment within the health care system, with more than seven in ten (72%) saying that the system "very" or "somewhat" often treats people unfairly based on their health insurance status. The survey of 2,608 physicians also includes findings on views of male and female physicians and views of Asian and Latino physicians on disparities based on a variety of other demographic characteristics.
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Medical Care Research and Review
Journal Supplement
This special supplement of Medical Care Research and Review includes: original research tracking trends in disparities in health coverage and access to care over two decades; literature syntheses focused on medical treatment and the decision-making process; legal analysis of civil rights laws in the context of managed care; and findings from a national survey of public awareness of racial inequities in care.
The supplement is comprised of work commissioned by the Foundation for its 1999 national policy roundtable, Race, Ethnicity, and Medical Care: Improving Access in a Diverse Society, along with other independently submitted papers. (Package Code: 3072)
A printed copy of this item may be ordered directly from the Foundation by calling the publication request line at 1-800-656-4KFF.
Please Ask for:
Title: Medical Care Research and Review
Package Code: 3072
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Minority Graduates of U.S. Medical Schools: Trends, 1950-1998
While significant efforts have been made to increase minority representation in the medical profession, very little information about minority medical school graduates and minority physicians has been available to evaluate progress towards this goal. This report, prepared by the Association of American Medical Colleges, provides both trend information in minority medical graduates, as well as the current practice characteristics of minority physicians. It is the first product from a unique database developed from the archives of medical schools, the AAMC's own data sets, and files from the American Medical Association. They conclude that most minority groups remain underrepresented in medicine. Blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans-approximately 25% of the population-accounted for less than 15% of medical school graduates in 1998 and all minority graduates of US medical schools taken together comprise only 9% of the nation's total physician workforce.
Free Copies of this report are available from AAMC by contacting Vivian Harriday at (202) 828-0584.
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Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Access to Health Insurance and Health Care
Racial and ethnic groups in the United States continue to experience major differences in health status compared to the majority white population. Although many factors affect health status, the lack of health insurance and other barriers to obtaining health services markedly diminish minorities' use of both preventive services and medical treatments. This report, produced in collaboration with the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, examines health insurance coverage and access to physician services among African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and American Indians and Alaska Natives. By pooling national survey data over two years, information about particular minority subgroups is also provided.
Four new fact sheets examining health insurance coverage and access to physician services among these racial and ethnic minority groups have also been released. (Package Code: 1525)
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Race, Ethnicity & Medical Care: A Survey of Public Perceptions and Experiences
Toplines
This is a copy of the results of a telephone survey conducted on a random, national sample of nearly 4,000 African American, Latino and white adults, 18 years of age and older. The questions were designed to reveal what each respondent believed about the impact of race and ethnicity on medical care today. Some questions asked about respondents' experiences and others asked about their perceptions.
A Chart Pack highlighting survey results is available as document #1528 . (Package Code: 1529)
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A Synthesis of the Literature: Racial & Ethnic Differences in Access to Medical Care
This document summarizes a literature review on the subject from 1985-1999. Research topics addressed in the report include racial disparities in heart disease and stroke, cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, mental health, and maternal and child health. Sentinel articles are identified and tabled in an appendix. (Package Code: 1526)
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Key Facts: Racial and Ethnic Differences in Medical Care
Racial and ethnic disparities in medical care are selectively highlighted in this chartbook. Bulleted facts with corresponding charts describe racial and ethnic disparities in 1) health; 2) health coverage; 3) access to preventive and primary care; and 4) the use of medical care for specific conditions including heart disease, cancer, asthma, and HIV/AIDS. (Package Code: 1523)
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