Category Archives: Student Blog Posts

By: Ximena Leon COVID-19 has brought light to the inequalities and inequities caused by discriminatory systems in the U.S. Moreover, COVID-19 has highlighted the vulnerable populations through each of the stages of the virus including information dissemination, viral transmission, quarantine, and reopening. Marginalized and minoritized communities have increased health risks due to differences in race,Continue reading “Minimizing the Effects of Social Determinants of Health by Incorporating Structural Competency”

By: Grace Garrett The human race is 99.9% identical on a molecular, genetic level. The cause of an illness in an individual person may be molecularly based, but it doesn’t explain differences in burden of illness and injury for entire groups of people. The social determinants of health are social, environmental, and interpersonal factors that influence a person’sContinue reading “Nipping it in the Bud: Looking to the Roots of Health Disparities in Structural Systems”

By: Madelyn Terhune Structural Competency is a newer approach that helps to educate health professionals on the relationship between social determinates of health and symptom expressions. It is important to teach this because there are many inequalities in the health care system and many disorders disproportionately affect minorities. Minority groups are actually at a higherContinue reading “CV Health disparities and structural competencies “

By: Logan Long Disparities in the U.S. health-care system has become a consistent issue in America. Currently, the U.S. spends more on health-care per capita compared to any other country in the world. Yet, we rank below most developed countries in health-care outcomes due to inequalities in health-care. Research shows that health-care disparities in socioeconomicContinue reading “Importance of Structural competencies in Cardiovascular Health”

By: Bianca Walker Both structural and  cultural  competency  have  an  overwhelming  effect  on  cardiovascular health and disease research. The textbook definition of structural competency can be described as  the  ability  of  health  care  providers  to  appreciate  how  health  problems,  diseases,  attitudes toward  a  patient  or  population,  and  health  systems  are influenced  by  social  determinants  ofContinue reading “Structural Competency in Healthcare”

By Davin Means Various social determinants, biases, inequities and blind spots within daily living can affect the health of an individual, years upstream to the development of illness. Variables such as race, class, discriminatory housing, employment, education, income, criminal justice, and healthcare, all are important factors that impact future patients long before they enter theContinue reading “Structural Competency: A Societal Necessity”

By: Kristen Smith A well known quote states, “… your zip code or socioeconomic status should never determine the quality of your education…” Sadly, the harsh reality is while the quote promotes fairness and health equity, there are still many improvements to be made and the gradual change will take time. On a global aspect,Continue reading “Structural Competency and Cardiovascular Health”

By: C’Aira Dillard In the title, three is a term that has been used periodically during these COVID-19 times. According to Dr. Jonathan Metzl, structural competency “calls on methods from sociology, economics, urban planning, and other disciplines to systematically train health care professionals and others to recognize ways that institutions, neighborhood conditions, market forces, publicContinue reading “COVID-19 and Structural Competency”

By: Alexandra Filipkowski The term ‘structural competency’ is used to emphasize the unique, and ever-changing relationships between clinical problems and social determinants of health. Social determinants of health include, but are not limited to, an individual’s housing situation, education, and income.These factors are absolutely vital for healthcare workers to keep in mind because they dictateContinue reading “Structural Competencies and its Applications”

By: Hector Haddock-Martinez Unfortunately, there are evident inequalities and inequities in the overall health of the US population. Race, education level, social status, and even zip codes continuously dictate the health risks of individuals. These conditions are known as the social determinants of health. Although medical facilities and technology have increased significantly in the pastContinue reading “Structural Competency in my Media Project”