Case Study Analysis-Healthcare Disparity
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Case Study Analysis-Healthcare Disparity
Health disparities among African American individuals, particularly those with diabetes,
continue to be a significant concern in healthcare settings. Take the case of a 50-year-old African
American man with diabetes as an example. For this case study, the name of the individual with
diabetes is Walter. Walter is a 50-year-old African American who lived in California his entire
life. Despite living in California for the longest he never fully interacted with the healthcare
organizations like he does since he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Walter visits the hospital
regularly for his insulin-controlling medication. On one occasion, Walter experienced an attack
on an evening when he was heading to the hospital for his medication and was finding it difficult
to breathe and lacked sufficient energy. He visited the emergency room (ED) of XYZ Hospital
and reported his symptoms to the attending healthcare provider. The attendant dismissed his
claims as symptoms of old age and also explained that those conditions were not in any way
related to diabetes. The white medical attendant asked Walter to wait in the other room where
other patients without medical emergencies waited. A few minutes later, he was given diabetes
medication, and no doctor or nurse investigated the reasons for his difficulty in breathing and
other conditions. He was asked to go home and manage his condition using medication.
However, Walter continued to experience difficulties in his breathing patterns and went back to
the hospital two days later. He explained that his condition worsened. Despite suffering similar
conditions as other patients in the XYZ Hospital, Walter always receives less medical attention
compared to other white patients. For example, the hospital dedicates healthcare professionals to
diabetes management and tends to give less care and attention to Walter. Walter also does not
have access to medical resources available in the hospital for diabetes management other than
medication. Despite medical knowledge and technology advances, Walter faces challenges that