Web Site and Book Detail New Info on Health Disparities
Both strengths and challenges are apparent in the work to bridge the health care gap between blacks and whites.
St. Louis, Oct. 8 - The Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH)
unveils a new resource, commissioned by MFH, "Minority Health
Disparities In Missouri - Data Book 1: African Americans" at Washington
University's Healthcare Challenges Facing the Nation conference today
in St. Louis. The study brings to light current data providing new
insights for Missouri health officials, policy makers and health care
providers regarding gaps in health status of African Americans and
whites in the state of Missouri.
Data from this report derives from MFH funding for the Missouri
Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) to create a minority
health Community Data Profile on the DHSS Web site. The Web site allows
users to build customized graphs and charts to show racial disparities
across the state and by county. View at http://www.dhss.state.mo.us/.
Click on "Data and Statistical Reports".
Stark contrasts between whites and blacks listed in chart book include:
- Infant mortality among African American babies is over two and a half times higher than for white infants.
- HIV occurs 7.2 times more frequently among Missouri's African Americans than in white counterparts.
- Missouri's African Americans are 11.3 times more likely to be victims of homicide than white Missourians.
- Asthma related ER visits for African Americans occur over four times more frequently than for white Missourians.
On a positive note, factors such as education rates and economic
indicators, which strongly correlate with health status, have
strengthened in the African American community. College attendance has
risen to 49 percent for African Americans 25-34 years old. One in four
African American households now has annual incomes over $50,000.
"Minority Health Disparities In Missouri - Data Book 1: African Americans" addresses health indicators such as:
- Deaths
- Maternal and Child Health
- Communicable Disease
- Sexually Transmitted Disease
- Injuries.
- Diseases/Conditions Requiring Emergency Room Care
- Social/Economic Indicators
- Total of all Selected Indicators
Combined, the selected indicators show sharp contrasts between the
health of Missouri's African American and white populations. The data
book considers some of the causes of these health status gaps, all of
which could be addressed by known public health prevention approaches.
"We knew the disparities were there; now we have the most current data.
Having this concrete data is the first step in addressing these
problems," said James R. Kimmey, MD, MPH, president and CEO of MFH.
The "Minority Health Disparities in Missouri" data book was prepared by
MFH in support of its mission to undertake policy studies on topics of
significance to the Foundation service area and beyond. This document
is one of a series of publications MFH is creating to convey
information about current health related issues of interest to
policymakers and the general public.
Established in January of 2000 through the for-profit conversion of
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri, MFH is the largest health care
foundation in the state and the second largest health conversion
foundation in the country. Its mission is to improve the health of the
people in the communities it serves. Current assets stand at
approximately $1 billion.
For additional information regarding MFH and the "Minority Health
Disparities in Missouri" research or future studies, contact the
Foundation at (314) 345-5500, (800) 655-5560 or visit the Web site at
www.mffh.org.
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