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Joint Center Submits Comments on Proposed HHS Race/Ethnicity Data Collection Standards
No full textFrom a health equity standpoint, one of the most important provisions of the Affordable Care Act is the requirement that all health and health care institutions that receive federal funds must collect data on the race, ethnicity, and primary language of the patients they serve. Having this information will allow policymakers, researchers, and advocates understand when, where, and under what circumstances health and health care inequities may occur. There is disagreement in the field, however, about how to collect this data, and even about what the terms "race" and "ethnicity" mean.
In response to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' call for comments, the Joint Center prepared a letter to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius outlining some considerations for the collection of race and ethnicity dat
Cardiovascular disease risk factor clustering among African American adults.
No full textOBJECTIVES: Although the co-occurrence of multiple risk factors increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity/mortality, few studies have examined the prevalence of risk factor clustering among African Americans in community-based faith settings. This study examined the prevalence and clustering of CVD risk factors in a sample of church members from South Carolina.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a faith-based intervention, Faith, Activity, and Nutrition (FAN).
SETTING: African Methodist Episcopal churches in four geographically-defined districts in South Carolina.
PARTICIPANTS: 1119 church members.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported presence or absence of healthcare provider diagnosed diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension. Objectively measured blood pressure, height, and weight (body mass index) were also taken. The prevalence of single, multiple, and clustering of risk factors was computed.
RESULTS: 62% of participants were obese, 64% had hypertension, 23% had diabetes, and 39% had high cholesterol; 15% had no risk factors, 24% had 1 risk factor, 30% had 2 risk factors, 22% had 3 risk factors, and 10% had 4 risk factors. The most common clusters of risk factors were: obese and hypertensive (18%), obese, hypertensive and hypercholesterolemic (13%), and obese, hypertensive, hypercholesterolemic, and diabetic (10%).
CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of risk factors and risk factor clustering in church members in South Carolina is exceedingly high. Culturally-relevant behavioral interventions targeting risk factor reduction in this population should be a public health goal
Weaving a Richer Tapestry in Biomedical Science
No full textAs much as the U.S. scientific community may wish to view itself as a single garment of many diverse and colorful threads, an unflinching consideration of actual data reminds us that our nation's biomedical research workforce remains nowhere near as rich as it could be. An analysis, performed by a team of researchers primarily supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and published in this issue of Science, reveals that from 2000 to 2006, black (1) grant applicants were significantly less likely to receive NIH research funding than were white applicants. The gap in success rates amounted to 10 percentage points, even after controlling for education, country of origin, training, employer characteristics, previous research awards, and publication record (2). Their analysis also showed a gap of 4.2 percentage points for Asians; however, the differences between Asian and white award probabilities were explained by exclusion of noncitizens from the analysis
Mini-Summit Health Proceedings
No full textThe Center for Public Health and Health Policy Research (CPHHPR) hosted three Mini-Summits on Minority Health to respond to the unique public health challenges facing its region. The Mini-Summits were unique community forums designed to unite and mobilize diverse stakeholders to address and improve minority health outcomes through a comprehensive action plan. Participants identified health concerns; developed goals and recommended culturally appropriate region specific strategies. Summit findings were compiled into proceedings and disseminated to participants to ensure bidirectional communication. The key recommendations gleaned from the proceedings led to the formation of the Suffolk County Minority Health Action Coalition (SMHAC) and Community Alliance for Research Empowering Social change (CARES), an academic community based research network. This document may prove beneficial to those interested in developing an infrastructure for Community Based Participatory Research
Minority Status and Diabetes Screening in an Ambulatory Population
No full textAbstract available at publisher's web site
Poverty, sprawl, and restaurant types influence body mass index of residents in California counties.
No full textThis study demonstrates the important role of county poverty and urban sprawl toward understanding environmental influences on BMI. Using three categories of restaurants demonstrates different associations of full-service chain and independent restaurants, which are often combined in other research
National groups unite to target health disparities
No full textFive major health care organizations are banding together in a nationwide call for action to address racial and ethnic disparities in health care.
The effort comes as the nation faces the dual challenge of moving forward with the health system reform law and an increasingly diverse population. Racial and ethnic minorities represent a third of the U.S. population and are projected to make up the majority of the population by 2042.
"Disparities are an urgent issue," said Bruce Siegel, MD, MPH, president and CEO of the National Assn. of Public Hospitals and Health Systems. "We are at a tipping point
Health Reform Holds Both Risks And Rewards For Safety-Net Providers And Racially And Ethnically Diverse Patients
No full textAbstract available at publisher's web site
Indian Health Service Innovations Have Helped Reduce Health Disparities Affecting American Indian And Alaska Native People
No full textAbstract available at publisher's web site
A Comprehensive Screening And Treatment Model For Reducing Disparities In Hepatitis B
No full textAbstract available at publisher's web site