FINAL PART

Final part

Final part

Diversity is realism in today's world. It has lots of dimensions, which are reflected through characteristics of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, chronological plus generational age, physical capabilities, socio-economic background, religion, special attributes, talents, powers, human ability, standpoints, perspectives, values, ideas, practice experiences, life skills, sexual orientation plus generational influences. The United States is more diverse demographically as well as culturally than it has ever been in its history. In addition to 211,460,626 Americans of European descent, the U.S. Census Bureau identified 69,961,280 people from 19 other ethnic as well as cultural groups living in America.

A 2005 Census Bureau report says that one seventh of the United States population is nonwhite, mainly due to immigration, but also due to higher birth rates in nonwhite populations (Wagner, 1991). Today's environmental scan brings to the forefront substantial changes that are affecting our view of the world. The effects of globalization, new technology, war, menaces of bioterrorism plus ecosystem imbalances are simply the commencing of Americans' heightened consciousness of the movement between cultures plus countries, and the enveloping effects it has unleashed.

With these statistic changes comes a move from being a melting pot to a more distinctive society where the interactions of individual cultures, language, religion plus health practices are being experienced by an unprepared, plus in some cases, un-accepting public. Inequalities, in power plus resources, have been a part of the social structure of the United States for a long time. In health care, this history is evidenced in health disparities. Data go on to come out that the particular requirements of historically marginalized individuals plus groups are not being met by the U.S. health care system.

According to the Health Care Disparities Report (2004), underrepresented groups, as well as poor and less educated patients, are more probable ...