 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Green A. Ekadi, PhD, Family and Community Medicine, Meharry Medical College, 1005 D. B. Todd Jr. Boulevard, Nashville, TN 37208, 615-327-6069, gekadi@mmc.edu
The problem of racial and ethnic health disparities has become one of those problems that Rittel and Webber describe as "wicked." (Rittel and Webber 1973) "Wicked" problems, according to Rittel and Webber, appear to lack a solution and, at best lend themselves to "temporary and imperfect resolutions." What sometimes appear as solutions may end up being extensions of the problem. As a result, wicked problems are malignant and their solutions, if any, may be tricky. The research challenge is, therefore, to find explanations for this malignancy. Despite enormous investments, any claim of success may be merely definitional, as is the case with poverty, unemployment or affirmative action (Harmon & Mayer 1986).
Attempts at providing explanations for the malignancy of this problem have disproportionately focused on the behaviors of consumers (patients). Not enough attention has been paid to provider behavior. The so-called behavior-risk factor surveys (BRFS) have provided the basis for examining the behaviors of consumers for their risk content. The objective of this study is to propose a similar examination of provider- behavior, particularly those behaviors that Scott describes as "institutional." These behaviors have become part of the regulative, normative and cognitive landscape of society and appear to be the most resistant to change (Scott 1995). A provider-behavior risk factor survey and analysis for individual and organizational providers and for delivery systems provides a two-way examination of behavior as an "explainer" of the recalcitrance of the health disparities problem.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Equal Access, Minority Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.