Passage
The term "health disparities" describes a systematic incidence of poorer health outcomes for groups that have traditionally experienced social disadvantage (eg, racial and ethnic minorities, lower-income individuals, women) as compared to more advantaged groups (eg, whites, higher-income individuals, men). These health disparities are driven by unequal access to health care services and health insurance due to prejudice and discrimination on the part of health care providers and the overall system, and extensive research has focused on these issues.Recent research suggests that another factor might explain health disparities: stereotype threat on the part of the patient. Stereotype threat can be evoked by verbal or nonverbal cues from health care professionals, such as a physician's use of confusing medical jargon (the standardized language medical personnel use to communicate among themselves) or a nurse's body language while discussing the risks of obesity and alcohol use. Once triggered, stereotype threat may result in behaviors that compromise one's own health. For example, a patient may withhold information or feel compelled to describe health-related behaviors in a positive light. Similarly, if the interaction arouses anxiety, a patient may be less likely to remember the physician's instructions or might dismiss a physician's advice as biased.Stereotype threat can be reduced through training programs that improve employees' communication skills. Some hospitals in large urban areas have implemented the use of cultural liaisons, individuals who are able to bridge the gap between a minority patient's cultural beliefs and Western medicine. Cultural liaisons are often present during the nonsensitive portions of the doctor's appointment, and studies suggest they may help to reduce stereotype threat in patients.
Adapted from J. Aronson, D. Burgess, S. M. Phelan, and L. Juarez (C)2013 American Public Health Association
-Besides reducing stereotype threat, the presence of a cultural liaison during a doctor's appointment increases:

Question

Passage
The term "health disparities" describes a systematic incidence of poorer health outcomes for groups that have traditionally experienced social disadvantage (eg, racial and ethnic minorities, lower-income individuals, women) as compared to more advantaged groups (eg, whites, higher-income individuals, men).  These health disparities are driven by unequal access to health care services and health insurance due to prejudice and discrimination on the part of health care providers and the overall system, and extensive research has focused on these issues.Recent research suggests that another factor might explain health disparities: stereotype threat on the part of the patient.  Stereotype threat can be evoked by verbal or nonverbal cues from health care professionals, such as a physician's use of confusing medical jargon (the standardized language medical personnel use to communicate among themselves) or a nurse's body language while discussing the risks of obesity and alcohol use.  Once triggered, stereotype threat may result in behaviors that compromise one's own health.  For example, a patient may withhold information or feel compelled to describe health-related behaviors in a positive light.  Similarly, if the interaction arouses anxiety, a patient may be less likely to remember the physician's instructions or might dismiss a physician's advice as biased.Stereotype threat can be reduced through training programs that improve employees' communication skills.  Some hospitals in large urban areas have implemented the use of cultural liaisons, individuals who are able to bridge the gap between a minority patient's cultural beliefs and Western medicine.  Cultural liaisons are often present during the nonsensitive portions of the doctor's appointment, and studies suggest they may help to reduce stereotype threat in patients.
Adapted from J. Aronson, D. Burgess, S. M. Phelan, and L. Juarez (C)2013 American Public Health Association
-Besides reducing stereotype threat, the presence of a cultural liaison during a doctor's appointment increases:

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

11ecba2d_0d39_a9ba_a3bf_b33d51e579f1_MD0008_00 Social groups are composed of individuals who interact and identify with each other. As group size increases, the number of potential social ties (relationships between individual group members) also increases. Social groups can be large (eg, whole societies) or small. A dyad (relationship between two people) has only one social tie, making dyadic relationships the most intimate (eg, romantic couples, business partners); however, dyads are also less stable than larger groups because if either person leaves, the group ceases to exist. A triad (relationship among three people) can have three potential social ties, making triadic relationships more stable but less intimate than dyads. The presence of a cultural liaison increases the number of social ties, resulting in a more stable group. (Choice A) Groupthink, irrational decision making by groups that value reaching a consensus over critical evaluation of information, is more likely to occur when all group members are similar. A group composed of a physician and patient (who have dissimilar backgrounds) and a cultural liaison is unlikely to be prone to groupthink. (Choice B) Group polarization occurs when group members adopt a more extreme attitude or course of action after group discussion. For group polarization to occur, group members must share similar opinions prior to group discussion, which is not necessarily true of a group composed of a patient, physician, and cultural liaison. (Choice D) The added group member would make the group less, not more, intimate. Educational objective: Individuals who interact and identify with each other form social groups. The relationships between individual group members are social ties. Dyads (groups of two) have one social tie and are more intimate but less stable than triads. Triads (groups of three) have three potential social ties and are less intimate but more stable than dyads.

Passage The Term "Health Disparities" Describes a Systematic Incidence of Poorer