Inside the Dream: Martin Luther King Jr's Dream to End Health Inequalities

The United States still grapples with alarming health disparities that existed prior to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s untimely death nearly half a century ago. It comes as no surprise to most of us in the nursing community that these health inequities disproportionately affect persons of color. The intended purpose of this piece is to serve as a reminder of a fervent dream that has not yet turned into reality for millions of Americans. Nurses Announcements Archive Article

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Inside the Dream: Martin Luther King Jr's Dream to End Health Inequalities
Quote
Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.

-- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., spoken during a speech to the Medical Committee for Human Rights, 1966

The aforementioned words were so very eloquently spoken by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1966, during an era when millions of American citizens of all races, shapes and genders lived outside the dream. Persons who lived outside the American dream subsisted in poverty and had unequal access to facets of life that many take for granted such as healthcare, education, voting rights, employment opportunities and safe housing.

American society has made enormous strides since Dr. King spoke those indelibly potent words to the Medical Committee for Human Rights nearly half a century ago. As an African-American female whose four grandparents hailed from four different states in the American South during the Jim Crow era, I am thankful that I get to enjoy opportunities and freedoms that were simply unavailable to them.

I am thankful that, due to sacrifices made by countless brave souls who fought the uphill battle for equality a couple of decades before my birth, I can participate fully in society without being told implicitly or explicitly that I am worth less than the next person. I am thankful that, as the granddaughter of a domestic worker who toiled in poverty, I came of age during a time that furnished more appealing options for my future. In essence, I am thankful that I have the chance to live inside the dream.

On the other hand, we must not forget about the millions of Americans who continue to exist outside the dream. I am referring to the masses of people who grapple with health disparities from day to day. Even though some of these disparities are certainly self-inflicted by people with unhealthful lifestyles who do not wish to avail themselves of preventive care, many of these disparities have arisen due to lack of access, knowledge, and biological differences.

For instance, African-American individuals are more prone to develop resistant hypertension than persons of other races due to genetic differences that cause variances in the secretion of renin, but this information is not widely known outside of the healthcare community. In addition, many people have heard that high blood pressure is the so-called 'silent killer,' but a significant number of these folks have no clue that untreated hypertension destroys the kidneys until the day they end up needing dialysis. African-Americans, Latin Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders and Native Americans have a higher likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. African-Americans are more likely to die of cancer than European-Americans, and Latin American males under the age of 20 have the highest prevalence of obesity.

Chronic health afflictions heavily affect quality of life in a negative manner. Lessened quality of life can have a remarkable impact on one's personal and societal functioning. Furthermore, the impact of chronic health afflictions can reduce one's potential contributions to his community, the overall economy, society as a whole, and collective wellness of the entire country. I know that I would have difficulty working 40 hours per week if I had to attend lengthy appointments at a freestanding hemodialysis center three times weekly. I might also feel too fatigued and crummy to perform at my best. I personally do not want to know how I would handle the severe long-term disability that too frequently arises after one has had a major cerebrovascular accident (CVA).

Quote
I am afraid that many among you are more concerned about making a living than making a life. You are prone to judge the success of your profession by the index of your salary and the size of the wheel base on your automobile, rather than the quality of your service to humanity.

-- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

As members of the nursing community, this is a call to action. Let's work to put an end to societal health disparities, one patient at a time. Let's educate those who desperately need the knowledge, one person at a time. Let us utilize our skills, healing touch, art and science to change lives, one person at a time. Let's ensure that as many people as possible have the opportunity to live inside the dream.

RESOURCES

Wikiquote. Martin Luther King, Jr. (n.d.). Retrieved January 16, 2015 from Martin Luther King, Jr. - Wikiquote.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN, CRRN is a longtime physical rehabilitation nurse who has varied experiences upon which to draw for her articles. She was an LPN/LVN for more than four years prior to becoming a Registered Nurse.

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Specializes in L&D.

Absolutely! Thank you for such a wonderful article.

kbrn2002, ADN, RN

3,820 Posts

Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

Thank you for the reminder that access to good health care is still not to taken for granted. Many people of all races in this country do not have adequate healthcare available. While education to promote a healthy lifestyle is paramount, the access to affordable healthy options to live that healthier lifestyle are important as well and often beyond the reach of low income families.

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traumaRUs, MSN, APRN

88 Articles; 21,249 Posts

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Thanks for the great article.

You bring up some very pertinent facts: the healthcare disparity is multifactorial. I work in nephrology and the disproportionate number of African-Americans that have hypertension and diabetes are astounding.

I care for many African-American patients on dialysis and I think there is often miscommunication between us. I've been an APRN for almost 9 years now and I've learned a lot with regards to this topic:

Many pts in a particular dialysis unit live in poverty in one zip code. I truly had no appreciation of this until I realized many were simply hungry! I would come in there with my lab coat on, my designer handbag and start lecturing them right from the beginning: why didn't they take their meds, why didn't they go to dialysis, why were they noncompliant? Well, I found out that many couldn't read the instructions I was handing out, had no clue what meds they took because they couldn't pronounce the generic name, read the instructions or understand what I was asking of them. They couldn't afford the co-pays for the meds and had no way to get to the pharmacy to pick up meds.

So, I ditched the lab coat, the designer handbag and now I go see them with a hoodie, well-worn dockers and loafers. And...I listen. That is the biggest tip I have: to listen!

I found out they had quit school in the 6th grade to help out at home, they had no way to get to school or they had to go to work. I now give my instruction sheets with pictures. I enlarge the print if that is needed.

For my pts that have spent many years incarcerated, I try not to provide many choices because they simply aren't used to choices. I can ask if they would like to feel better and try to Rx them with meds that they only have to take once or twice per day. I also write notes to their probation officers that they indeed are anuric and nope, they can't provide a urine sample for drug test.

Some are single Moms with young kids at home. I talk with the social worker about options for childcare so that they can come to dialysis, maybe there is a grant we can get for them.

The healthcare disparity does exist.

Debilpn23

439 Posts

Specializes in long term care Alzheimers Patients.

Thanks for a great article!

Gastrointestinal Columnist

Brenda F. Johnson, MSN

61 Articles; 326 Posts

Specializes in Gastrointestinal Nursing.

Enjoyed the read! Very intelligent article with spot on points about present day patients.

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tnbutterfly - Mary, BSN

83 Articles; 5,923 Posts

Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.

Bumping this article up in recognition and celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.