Center for the Elimination of Minority Health Disparities

Minority Health Disparities is one of the top priorities on the nation’s healthcare agenda and narrowing this breach is one of the top two priorities of the Federal Government and the Department of Health and Human Services. This list of research and resources on minority health disparity includes links to the primary institutions tracking and supporting this public health issue. To become initiated on this topic, the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health would be good places to start.

Background Information

• Click here for information on what is being done to eliminate health disparities. You can learn more about the goals of the Healthy People 2010 initiative as well as obtain Fact Sheets on the areas where minorities experience serious disparities.

• Within the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities you can find information on the various racial and ethnic groups that are disproportionately being affected by preventable disease, death, and disability compared to non-Hispanic whites. You can click here to obtain more information on each of the groups.

QUICK FACTS

• Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health
  The Office of Minority Health Resource Center (OMHRC) serves as a comprehensive information and referral service on minority health issues for professionals, community groups, consumers, and students. It also maintains a minority health knowledge center and database; distributes publications; manages exhibits; publishes funding opportunities; maintains a list of volunteer resource experts available to the public; and conducts literature searches.

• Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities
  The combined resources of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and its partners provide the vital link between policy and practice. A rich source of reports and publications from the CDC and HHS, training, minority health resources, and information on racial and ethnic populations.

FACT SHEETS

Click on the text to be linked to:

• Two-sided downloadable fact sheet on heart disease from the American Heart Association.

• Two-sided downloadable fact sheet on stroke in English or Spanish from the American Heart Association.

• Factual information on stroke and links to other useful information from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

• Two-page information on stroke from Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Great resource to use as a handout.

• Wide array of fact sheets and brochures on AIDS from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

• HIV Fact Sheet from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

• Steps for a Healthier U.S.

• Source to a wide variety of information from the CDC National Prevention Information Network (NPIN).

• Brochures from CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention.

Leading Minority Health Institutions

• The Office on Women’s Health
  Focuses on improving the health and well-being of women and girls in the United States. The Center offers reliable and current information on women’s health today and covers more than 800 topics through its call center and web site. Furthermore, the Office on Women’s Health (OWH) has established the Minority Women’s Health Panel of Experts that focuses and serves racially and ethnically diverse women.

• National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities
  The center lists upcoming conferences related to health disparities, funding opportunities, medical and medlineplus health information, and other opportunities available for students and professionals.

• Kaiser Family Foundation
  The Minority Health section of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation provides information on Latinos, African Americans, Asian/Pacific Islanders and American Indian/Alaska Natives, who together make up nearly a third of the U.S. population. The site includes fact sheets, chart packs, reports, surveys and webcasts that can help to inform efforts to reduce disparities in health care access and quality.

• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
  This site is part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and it includes information related to minority health including upcoming conferences and meetings, evidence reports, research findings and other useful research related topics.

The diseases below have been identified by the Department of Health and Human Services to be the leading causes of death among the minorities.

HEART DISEASE

• The Diseases and Condition Index (DCI) provides complete and dependable information about heart, lung, and blood diseases and sleep disorders. New information is posted regularly.

• Information on life after heart attack, risk factors, advice for heart patients and other information.

• For more information on fighting Heart Disease and Stroke locally visit the following site. This site provides you with information regarding fundraising, advocacy, research, CPR classes, employment opportunities, and other events that take place in the Albany, NY.

• A new, joint website of the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association features helpful tips and links to more information on healthy eating, physical activity, weight management, smoking cessation, and recommended medical tests.

STROKE

• Information on symptoms, causes, prevention, and treatment.

• Information for professionals, caregivers, as well as patients.

• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Information for the Patients and the Public, offers booklets designed to help reduce chances of having a heart attack or stroke.

DIABETES

• American Diabetes Association Information for anyone to know and learn about the symptoms, causes, treatment, prevention of diabetes.

• Center for Disease Control and Prevention Updated data, online resources, national estimates, and prevention programs and more on diabetes.

• General useful resources from the Diabetes Wellness Foundation.

• A day in the Life of Diabetes from the American Diabetes Association. 

HIV/AIDS

• Site sponsored by the US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), containing information for both professionals and the public including general treatment guidelines, drug treatments, HIV & women, related special topics, and links to relevant Web sites.

• Clearinghouse of information from a range of sources including the Center for Disease Control (CDC) it also offers chat and bulletin boards on AIDS-related topics.

CANCER

• American Cancer Society Nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy, and service. With more than two million volunteers nationwide, the American Cancer Society is one of the oldest and largest voluntary health agencies in the United States.
• The Community Hospice Foundation The mission of the foundation is to serve seriously ill people and their families through the process of dying and grieving and to enhance quality of life with comprehensive, compassionate services that respect the dignity of those we serve.

MENTAL HEALTH

• New York State Office of Mental Health This webpage provides you with information on licensed programs in the Albany area that specialized with mental health illness.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE

• The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance and Abuse Services This website provides information to improve the lives of New Yorkers by ensuring quality prevention and treatment services for chemical dependence and compulsive gambling, and promoting recovery from addiction.