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Ethnic inequalities in health care for people with multiple health conditions

Funded by The Health Foundation

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The Project

 

 

Background

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There is now unequivocal evidence documenting ethnic inequalities in health in the UK, whereby most ethnic minority groups have poorer physical and mental health than the white majority group. Ethnic inequalities in health can be largely explained by underlying social and economic inequalities, and experiences of racial discrimination.

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A growing body of evidence is now beginning to document ethnic inequalities in health care, with studies reporting ethnic inequalities in access to and satisfaction with primary and secondary services. Ethnic inequalities in access to mental health services are markedly stark.

Amid these alarming ethnic inequalities in health and health care, there is the concern that ethnic inequalities may be even worse for people with multiple conditions, but there is little evidence to document this. In this project we aim to understand whether there are ethnic inequalities in health care among people with multiple health conditions, and identify where care could be improved and ethnic inequalities addressed.

 

Aims

The overall aim of this project is to contribute to reducing ethnic inequalities in health care quality, by providing solid evidence regarding the inequalities that currently exist. Specific aims are:

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  1. To use nationally representative data to provide an up-to-date description of how multiple conditions vary across ethnic groups in the UK;

  2. To describe ethnic differences in health care utilisation, access, and quality for people with multiple conditions;

  3. To make the evidence on ethnic inequalities in health care for people with multiple conditions accessible to policy/practitioner/public as well as academic audiences

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Methods

In order to achieve these aims we will review the evidence on ethnic inequalities in health and health care among people with multiple conditions; summarise the evidence on health service initiatives within the UK to reduce or contain ethnic inequalities in health care utilisation and/or health outcomes of relevance for people with multiple conditions; and analyse survey data and electronic health records to address gaps identified in the literature review.

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