Disparities in health care often are thought to be the result of poverty and a related lack of access to quality health care. But clinical experience and research show that this is overly simplistic.
In truth, the cause is a mix of issues that include genetics, living and working conditions, cultural obstacles with caregivers and barriers to getting medical care.
Many minority populations lack access to quality care, but health disparities still exist even in minority populations with good access. This may be due to family history and lifestyle choices.
