Inequality in America: The contribution of health centers in reducing and eliminating disparities in access to care

Reducing and eliminating health status disparities by providing access to a ppropriate health care is a goal of the nation's health care delivery syste m, This article reviews the literature that demonstrates a relationship bet ween access to appropriate health care and reductions in health status disp arities. Using comprehensive site-level data, patient surveys, and medical record reviews, the authors present an evaluation of the ability of health centers to provide such access. Access to a regular and usual source of car e alone call mitigate health status disparities. The safety net health cent er network has reduced racial/ethnic, income, and insurance status disparit ies in access to primary care and important preventive screening procedures . In addition, the network has reduced low birth weight disparities for Afr ican American infants. Evidence suggests that health centers are successful in reducing and eliminating health access disparities by Establishing them selves as their patients' usual and regular source of care. This relationsh ip portends well for reducing and eliminating health status disparities.