Healthcare disparities in rheumatology: the role of education at a global level.

Abstract

All fields of medicine are victim to health inequity worldwide, including rheumatology. While the health system is a key proponent to health access for all, other social determinants of health also impact world health. We describe herein the current state of global healthcare disparities in rheumatology and attempts at optimizing graduate medical education and resources for optimized healthcare, international research collaborations and a future of universal health equity. We performed a comprehensive search through Pubmed using the following keywords: healthcare disparities, medical education, access to care, community health.Key Points• Healthcare disparities are ubiquitous globally, including the field of rheumatology.• The heterogeneity of global healthcare disparities emphasizes the importance of addressing unmet needs at a regional level.• A standardized approach to incorporating healthcare disparities education in the medical field is lacking. Intervening at this level provides a foundation of increasing provider awareness of regional healthcare disparities so as to establish a framework of addressing such disparities in a culturally competent manner.