Even though he is most widely known for his impact on civil rights legislation, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. shared his views on many social issues including health care.
At the core of his philosophy … how inequality and injustice affect all facets of public life.
 |
Martin Luther King Jr. |
“Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a speech to the Medical Committee for Human Rights, 1966
According to a 2002 report from the Institute of Medicine, when groups have equal access care and have the same education and income levels, gaps in health outcomes still exist between minorities and non-minorities.
Health care disparities are not just limited to race or ethnicity. Gender inequity, sexual orientation, geographic location and disability are historically linked to discrimination and exclusion.
Eliminating disparities in all of these areas would prevent about one million hospitalizations each year — according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Equality.
This time of year, many like to imagine what Dr. King would say about current issues such as health care reform. While he didn’t leave any specifics, Dr. King’s quote above indicates that he would certainly encourage us to work to eliminate all health care disparities.