Often, these disparities take on a cultural, age, or gender role. When combined with the financial barriers that block health care (whether or not the individual has insurance or not), it is one of the most risky segments of 21st century healthcare. This is quite ironic because over the last century so many improvements have been made in the field of disease prevention, public health, and approaches to health care. Even in the last few decades the country has matured in its approach to STDs and the HIV epidemic. Yet still, while we recognize that the brain is the very locus of the human "being" and while we know more today about treating mental illness effectively, rapidly, and with typically positive results, we still tend to stigmatize this segment of society with inadequate care, difficult access to that care, or in some rural or smaller towns and cities, zero access (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1999). Part 4 -- ER

ERs are open 24/7, cannot turn people away

Medical collections do not count for negatives on major purchases

Sometimes the ONLY alternative to healthcare

Litigation drives medical personnel to the ER because of fear of lawsuit if something minor turns major (Meisel and Pine, 2008).

1/2 the visits in California, for instance, could have been handled by a GP but there is no impetus to drive patients who have no funds and insurance (Wood, 2007)

Meisel, Z. And Pines, J. (September 12, 2008). The Allure of the One Stop Shop. Retrived August 2011 from Slate. http://www.slate.com/id/2199645/

(2007). Patients Admit Overuse of Emergency Department. Retrieved August 2011 from Nursing News: http://www.nursezone.com/nursing-news-events/more-news/Patients-Admit-Overuse-of-Emergency-Department_28460.aspx
Check out:

http://www.fixourhealthcare.ca.gov/index.php/facts/more/6771/

http://www.nehi.net/news/press_releases/33/leading_health_care_research_organizations_to_examine_emergency_department_overuse

REFERENCES

Public Health and Aging. (2003, Febuary 14). Retrieved August 2011, from CDC Weekly: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5206a2.htm

Mahant, S., Peterson, R., & Campbell, M. (2008, May 1). Reducing Inappropriate Hospital Use on a General pediatric Inpatient Unit. Retrieved August 2011, from Pediatrics: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/121/5/e1068.full

Neumann, R. (2010, April 8). Top 10 Reasons NOT to plan for retirement. Retrieved August 2011, from Northjersey.com: http://www.northjersey.com/news/business/business_opinion/90328449_Top_10_reasons_to__not__plan_for_retirement.html

Paul, J.S. (2006, March). New Measures of Ambulatory Care. Retrieved August 2011, from Hosptiral Report HRRC: http://hospitalreport.ca/downloads/otherreports/SNAPSHOT_REPORT_Amb_FINAL.pdf

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (1999, Spring). Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. Retrieved August 2011, from National Institute of Mental Health: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/mentalhealth/pdfs/front.pdf