This paper examines access to healthcare as a key social determinant of health (SDOH) affecting low-income families served by a community health clinic in Miami, Florida. It analyzes how social, cultural, environmental, and economic factors—including language barriers, discrimination, poor housing, and lack of insurance—contribute to health inequities, particularly among Hispanic populations. The paper discusses both the positive and negative impacts of SDOH, connects the clinic's goals to the Healthy People 2030 framework, and proposes a mobile healthcare unit staffed by Spanish-speaking providers as a practical intervention. An accompanying public awareness and advocacy campaign is outlined, addressing community mistrust, political biases, and the need for sustainable funding.
The paper uses a problem-to-solution structure: it first diagnoses the root causes of health inequity (factors section), acknowledges competing forces (positive vs. negative impacts), situates the issue within a national policy goal, and then proposes and defends a targeted intervention. This layered argumentation—moving from diagnosis to context to action—is a strong model for public health writing at the undergraduate level.
The paper opens by identifying healthcare access as the central SDOH for a Miami clinic's population, then systematically addresses inequity factors across four domains. A brief balance of positive and negative impacts follows before a global-policy section ties the clinic's mission to Healthy People 2030. The final two sections shift from analysis to action: a mobile unit proposal and a multi-audience advocacy campaign. The references follow APA format throughout.
A university community health clinic located in Miami, Florida, serves low-income families within the surrounding community. The social determinant of health (SDOH) examined in this paper is access to healthcare. Access to healthcare is a significant social determinant of health that affects low-income families in Miami (Taylor et al., 2021). These families often face barriers such as lack of insurance, transportation issues, and limited availability of medical facilities, all of which lead to disparities in health outcomes.
Social factors contribute to health inequities among low-income families in Miami. Many of these families are Hispanic and experience language barriers that prevent them from communicating effectively with English-only speakers in healthcare clinics. The social factor of language therefore prevents some individuals from gaining access to care. It can be a root cause of misunderstandings, misdiagnoses, inadequate treatment, or no treatment at all. Some people do not realize the barrier that language can be, but it is all too real for many who do not speak the majority language (Palmer-Wackerly et al., 2020).
In addition to language, discrimination and bias against minority groups can cause unequal treatment within the healthcare system. Due to a perception of bias, Hispanic patients may be reluctant to seek treatment. Prejudice breeds fear and represents yet another barrier to equitable health outcomes (Palmer-Wackerly et al., 2020).
Cultural factors also contribute to health inequities. Cultural beliefs and practices can sometimes prevent people from seeking medical care when needed, or from adhering to prescribed treatments if those treatments conflict with traditional customs or practices (Windsor et al., 2022). Some cultural norms place emphasis on using traditional remedies instead of modern medicine or modern interventions. When there is no trust in modern care, culture often plays a role, and the result is delayed care. Similarly, family situations can affect healthcare decisions and access, since in many cultures, family roles and responsibilities can dictate who obtains care, which can again delay necessary medical attention.
Environmental factors are also impactful for low-income families. Poor housing quality and overcrowded living conditions contribute to health problems such as respiratory issues and infectious diseases. Low-income neighborhoods tend to have high exposure to pollution, which can worsen existing health conditions and increase the risk of developing new ones (Jbaily et al., 2022). These circumstances add to the overall health disparities experienced by such communities.
Economic factors can be the greatest contributors to health inequities, because financial burdens tend to limit access to healthcare, nutritious food, green spaces for exercise, and other necessities important for maintaining good health. Many low-income families hold jobs that do not provide health insurance benefits, making it difficult for them to afford medical care or preventive health services.
Despite the negative aspects of SDOH, there can be some positive impacts on individual health. Strong community networks and social support can sometimes be found in these communities, providing emotional and social resources. Additionally, the adversity experienced by these communities can build resilience. These communities may develop effective strategies for coping with problems or illness, which can support good mental health.
However, the negative impacts of SDOH tend to outweigh the positive ones. These negative impacts include delayed care, chronic stress, and limited access to care. Limited access to care can mean no regular check-ups and no preventive services, allowing health issues that might have been caught and treated early to worsen and become complicated and dangerous. This gap in preventive care deepens health disparities, making it harder for low-income families to achieve good health. That is why it is so important to address these negative impacts through strong strategies that improve access to care and thus tackle the root causes of so many health inequities.
Jbaily, A., Zhou, X., Liu, J., Lee, T. H., Kamareddine, L., Verguet, S., & Dominici, F. (2022). Air pollution exposure disparities across US population and income groups. Nature, 601(7892), 228–233.
Palmer-Wackerly, A. L., Chaidez, V., Wayment, C., Baker, J., Adams, A., & Wheeler, L. A. (2020). Listening to the voices of community health workers: A multilevel, culture-centered approach to overcoming structural barriers in US Latinx communities. Qualitative Health Research, 30(3), 423–436.
Pronk, N., Kleinman, D. V., Goekler, S. F., Ochiai, E., Blakey, C., & Brewer, K. H. (2021). Promoting health and well-being in Healthy People 2030. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 27(Supplement 6), S242–S248.
Taylor, L. A., Sheehan, J., Paz, A., Tromer, M., Pieper, E., Squires, I., ... & Nuhuman, A. S. M. (2021). The relationship between COVID-19 infection rates and social determinants of health in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, Florida. Cureus, 13(8).
Windsor, L. C., Jemal, A., Goffnett, J., Smith, D. C., & Sarol, J., Jr. (2022). Linking critical consciousness and health: The utility of the critical reflection about social determinants of health scale (CR_SDH). SSM—Population Health, 17, 101034.
Always verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.