Some health disparities are unavoidable, such as health problems that are related to a person’s genetic structure. However, most health disparities are potentially avoidable, especially when they are related to factors such as living in low-income neighborhoods or having unequal access to medical care. Reducing, if not eliminating, health disparities is an important goal for a number of reasons. Childhood is a time of enormous physical, social and emotional growth. Children who experience health problems are more likely to miss school, to have lifelong health problems and to incur high costs for medical care. In addition to the implications for.
