Social discrimination is a regressive practice against progress, as evidenced in modern communities. Both liberal and conservative societies experience discriminative methods against minority populations. In the U.S., specifically, the American Indian and Alaskan Native persons have endured segregation in public institutions (Dickerson et al. 735). These individuals suffer limited access to both state and federal healthcare facilities compared with fellow citizens from other races.
It is objective to note that many Native Americans lack education, proper shelter, and traditional beliefs. Their perspectives on the causes of diseases and healing practices depict insufficient knowledge from scientific information. For instance, their refusal against certain medication due to misinformed cultural practices ends in avoidable deaths (Cullen et al. 893). As a result, the communities experience a higher mortality rate than other public members, as evidenced in the ongoing pandemic. Social discriminative practices in the healthcare sector affect quality medical services delivered to American Indian and Alaskan Native populations.
The medical situation of Native Americans requires an integrated approach with comprehensive cultural steps. As briefly, highlighted above, these populations hold onto traditional beliefs which guide their social and economic lives (Cullen et al., 894). Therefore, it is essential to ensure adequate inclusion of related and relevant beliefs in a treatment process. Besides, it is also vital to include modern healthcare practices with scientific proof of improving certain illnesses.
The U.S. is a multicultural community with public members coming from different social backgrounds. Scientifically proven and accredited medication by state and federal healthcare agencies should ensure equality and fairness among all public members (Dickerson et al. 740). The integrated approach might improve the treatment process in terms of timely and comprehensive recovery. Most fundamentally, patients from diverse cultural backgrounds would benefit from quality healthcare services attributed to less discriminative practice.
Works Cited
Cullen, Theresa, et al. “Envisioning health equity for American Indian/Alaska Natives: a unique HIT opportunity.” Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association 26.8-9 (2019): 891-894.
Dickerson, Daniel L., et al. “Overt perceived discrimination and racial microaggressions and their association with health risk behaviors among a sample of urban American Indian/Alaska Native adolescents.” Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities 6.4 (2019): 733-742.