Identifying Underserved Ethnic Populations Within a Community: The First Step in Eliminating Health Care Disparities Among Racial and Ethnic Minorities

As set forth by the United States Department of Health and Human Services in Healthy People 2010, the primary goal of the national health promotion and disease prevention plan is to eliminate the health care disparities among racial and ethnic groups. This disparity is due, in part, to unequal health access. However, equal access to health care alone would not eliminate the difference. The health care provided must be culturally competent to be effective. Before providers can effectively begin strategizing ways to provide culturally sensitive health care for the people they serve, they first need to identify the groups of people in their service areas. A clinical example will be used to demonstrate public health nursing's role in accessing and advocating for uncounted populations as a fundamental beginning for eliminating disparity in health care delivery.