cial and ethnic minorities, with few exceptions, experience higher rates of morbidity and mortality than non-minorities because of racial disparities. Minorities have been and continue to be denied access to adequate health care because of numerous barriers such as institutional racism, lack of insurance, lack of money, inadequate location of health care facilities, poor relationships with non-minority physicians, stereotypes, and lower socioeconomic status (Fiscella, Franks, Gold, & Clancy., 2000, p. 2580).
             This paper will discuss many of these barriers which support the notion that disparities in the delivery of health care to minorities do exist. It also seeks to explain why health care disparities are a problem and what some of the projected solutions are to help eliminate these disparities.
             The health gap between minority and non-minority Americans has persisted, and in some cases has increased in recent years. African-American men, experienced an average life expectancy of 61 years in 1960, compared with 67 years for their white male peers. In 1996, this gap increased to 8 years, as white males enjoyed an average life expectancy of 74 years, relative to 66 years for African-American males. American-Indian men in some regions of the country can expect to live only into their mid-fifties. Further, African-American and America-Indian mortality rates remain 2.5 and 1.5 times higher, respectively, than rates for whites (Collins, Hall & Neuhaus, 1999).
             As noted above, the reasons for these health disparities are complex. However, it is important to understand the causes of health disparities in order to recommend workable solutions.
             The first barrier when discussing racial disparities in health care is socioeconomic status. Socioeconomic position is correlated with health status. People in each ascending step along the socioeconomic gradient tend to have better health, even when individual risk factors are account...