Inequality

• In the USA health inequalities continue to be a problem. In the USA you have to buy private medical insurance from a company. For example, the Blue Cross. This means that people in poverty do not have any medical insurance and so receive very basic medical care. It is estimated that up to 40 million Americans do not have adequate medical cover. This has led to huge inequalities in some parts of the USA which at times can be related to race with black people and the hispanic community being more likely to suffer from poverty and not be covered by private medical insurance.
• For example, black people are 3 times more likely to live in poverty than white people in the USA.
• For example, 27% of the black population in the USA live in poverty.
• For example, 26% of the Hispanic community in the USA live in poverty.
• For example, only 12% of white people in the USA live in poverty.
• There is a big difference between access to a good quality education for the people living in the wealthy suburbs compared to those who live in the poorer inner city. This means that people living in the wealthy suburbs are more likely to attend well resourced schools with good facilities. White people are more likely to benefit from living in the wealthy suburbs.
• For example, the Thomas Jefferson school in Virginia has no drop out rates because the pupils are all white and Asian.
• For example, Harper High school in Chicago has a 33% drop out rate.