Abstract

As the first decade of the 21st century draws to a close, Healthy People 2010 goals for reducing/eliminating health disparities remain unmet. Health care often remains inaccessible based on qualifiers such as income, geography, and other factors with clear implications not only for disadvantaged populations but also for those who are exposed to increased risks through contagious diseases. In this chapter, we explore health disparities from a multilevel perspective. The first section presents the significance of the problem and then discusses the role of communication in health disparities. Next, various disparities are presented followed by potential solutions. But first, what is the scope of the problem?