What Covid-19 Health Disparities Mean To Black Men

Watch What Covid 19 Health Disparities Means To Six Black Medical Pro

Watch: What Covid-19 Health Disparities Means to Six Black Medical Professionals Most countries see health care from the service orientation (believing it is a right of all humans regardless of financial status), while the United States continues to see healthcare from the profit orientation (much like any other business, that people should only be able to buy what they can afford). What are the impacts of seeing health care from a profit orientation, particularly in the age of Covid-19? Should health care be a right or a privilege? LINK TO READING: (Links to an external site.)

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Impacts of Profit-Oriented Healthcare During COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has cast a stark light on the disparities and deficiencies within the healthcare systems worldwide, especially highlighting the consequences of a profit-driven model predominant in the United States. Unlike many countries that perceive healthcare as a fundamental human right, the U.S. operates largely under a profit-oriented paradigm. This distinction has profound implications, particularly in times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed systemic inequities and bottlenecks rooted in financial motives.

The Profits Versus Rights Paradigm in Healthcare

Healthcare systems across the globe generally fall into two categories: service-oriented models that prioritize equitable access as a moral right, and profit-oriented models that treat health services as commodities. In the United States, healthcare is predominantly driven by market forces, whereby access to care often depends on insurance coverage, income levels, or the ability to pay out-of-pocket. This approach fosters inequalities, marginalizing vulnerable populations and reinforcing social stratification.

Impacts of a Profit Orientation During COVID-19

The COVID-19 crisis magnified the detrimental effects of a profit-oriented healthcare model. Foremost among these is the issue of access. When healthcare companies prioritize profits, they may restrict the availability of testing, treatment, and vaccines to maximize revenue, thereby hampering efforts to control the virus's spread. For instance, in the United States, disparities in testing and vaccination rates were evident among marginalized groups, often correlating with socioeconomic status and racial identity (Marmot, 2020).

Moreover, a profit-driven approach often results in reduced capacity for public health infrastructure and emergency preparedness. Hospitals and clinics may underinvest in preparedness, fearing financial losses, which diminishes the healthcare system’s resilience during surges like those seen in COVID-19 waves. Consequently, overwhelmed hospitals can lead to suboptimal patient outcomes, increased mortality, and longer recovery times (Bauchner et al., 2020).

Financial barriers also exacerbate health disparities. Individuals without adequate insurance or with limited financial resources may avoid seeking timely care, leading to worse outcomes. Studies have shown that COVID-19 mortality rates were higher among Black, Hispanic, and low-income populations who faced greater obstacles in accessing testing and treatment (Price-Haywood et al., 2020).

Should Healthcare Be a Right or a Privilege?

The ethical debate surrounding whether healthcare should be a right or a privilege has intensified during the pandemic. Many public health experts and social justice advocates argue that healthcare is a fundamental human right, vital for individual well-being and societal stability. Recognizing healthcare as a right ensures equitable access regardless of socioeconomic status, which is crucial in managing widespread health crises like COVID-19 (World Health Organization, 2021).

On the other hand, proponents of the privilege perspective argue that healthcare is an individual commodity, subject to market forces and personal responsibility. However, this stance neglects the societal costs of unaddressed health disparities, including increased transmission rates, prolonged economic downturns, and preventable deaths.

The pandemic has demonstrated that health crises do not discriminate based on wealth or status; thus, universal access to healthcare, regardless of ability to pay, is essential for effective public health responses. Countries that adopted universal healthcare models, such as Canada and many European nations, managed COVID-19 more efficiently, illustrating the importance of viewing healthcare as a human right (OECD, 2020).

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the profound negative impacts of a profit-oriented healthcare system, exposing disparities and delaying effective responses. To strengthen health resilience and promote social justice, healthcare must be perceived and treated as a fundamental human right. Ensuring equitable access not only improves individual health outcomes but also benefits society as a whole by reducing disease transmission, alleviating economic burdens, and promoting social cohesion.

Moving forward, policymakers should prioritize health equity and shift towards models that protect health as a public good rather than a commodity. Investing in universal healthcare infrastructure and addressing the social determinants of health are essential steps in creating a more just and resilient health system.

References

• Bauchner, H., Fontanarosa, P., & Zafrana, E. (2020). The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the importance of a resilient health system. JAMA, 324(10), 971-973.
• Marmot, M. (2020). Health equity in the age of COVID-19. The Lancet, 395(10224), 1665-1666.
• OECD. (2020). The impact of COVID-19 on health systems and policy responses. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
• Price-Haywood, E. G., Burton, J., Fort, D., & Seoane, L. (2020). Hospitalization and mortality among Black, Hispanic, and White patients with COVID-19. JAMA Network Open, 3(10), e2029754.
• World Health Organization. (2021). Universal health coverage: essential health services. WHO.