Elderly Minority and their health struggles
We tend to think that in this day in age there shouldn’t be any form of health disparities. That the Hippocratic oath is something that is always upheld. You would be wrong. In a study done by Jacqueline L. Angel, PhD and Ronald J. Angel, PhD show that race is a factor when it comes to getting health treatment for the elderly. They found that Hispanic and African American seniors were at a disadvantage when visiting their doctors. One speculation that has gained traction is the idea that many in this demographic tend to live in poverty. Those that live below the poverty line are less likely to visit a doctor or are unable to pay for their life saving treatments. They tend to work for little money and their employers are less likely to have retirement plans set up as they try to make ends meet. They also point out that many older immigrants might have spent their lives working difficult routines that would make life harder later in life.
The study also made the strong point that social isolation
can play a major role in the health of older immigrants. They pointed out that
living in a more populated area and thus reducing social isolation had a health
benefit as those people were healthier than those living in a less populated
area. The social support seemed to have a positive health in Mexican American
and Cuban American neighborhoods.
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