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Increasing the diversity of the health care workforce has been a critical part of the nation’s strategy to improve health and health care for more than a decade. Yet progress has been limited. Relative to the U.S. population, African Americans and Latinos are still significantly underrepresented within the ranks of physicians, nurses and dentists. Less than 5 percent of physicians or dentists are African American or Hispanic. Only 5.4 percent of nurses are African American; by comparison, 83.2 percent are white.
- A diverse health care workforce will help to increase access to quality care and address disparities in care that impact certain racial and ethnic populations.
- Physicians and nurses are more likely to serve their own communities; creating a more diverse medical workforce will increase access to quality care across the nation.
- The 2010 Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes critical funding for new as well as existing efforts to diversify the nation s health care workforce through academic programs, mentoring and employment opportunities.
Health Policy Snapshot
Two-page briefs providing insight and analysis on key issues affecting health and health care in the United States.
View allLess than 5% of physicians or dentists are black or Hispanic; only 5.4% of nurses are black