Minorities suffer disproportionately from health disparities and disparities in health care received. The impact of these disparities becomes even more profound when the projected growth of the population of Americans who are minorities are taken into account. African-Americans for example continue to have the highest rates of mortality from heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular disease and HIV/AIDS than any other U.S. racial or ethnic group. American Indians disproportionately die from diabetes, liver disease and cirrhosis, and unintentional injuries. Hispanic Americans are almost twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites to die from diabetes. In addition, some Asian-American subpopulations experience rates of stomach, liver and cervical cancers that are well above the national averages (Collins, Hall, & Neuhaus, 1999).
             Differences in access to healthcare play a role in these disparities. Hispanics, Asian Americans, American Indians and African-Americans are less likely than whites to have health insurance, have more difficulty getting healthcare, and have fewer choices in where to receive care. Hispanic and African-American patients are also more likely to receive care in hospital emergency rooms, and are less likely than whites to have regular primary care providers (Collins, Hall, & Neuhaus, 1999). The reasons for these health disparities are complex and poorly understood, but may largely reflect socioeconomic differences, differences in health-related risk, access to health care, environmental degradation, and direct and indirect consequences of racism and discrimination (Williams, 2000, p. 86).
             National data reveal that over the past fifty years, the health of both minorities and white persons has improved in the United States as evidenced by increases in life expectancy and declines in mortality (National Center for Health Statistics, 2000.)
             Despite steady improvement in the overall health of the U.S. population, ra...