Health Disparities Links

Federal Government:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
Office of Minority Health (OMH)
www.cdc.gov/omhd/default.htm

Description: The OMH promotes health and quality of life by preventing and controlling the disproportionate burden of disease, injury and disability among racial and ethnic minority populations. The OMH coordinates White House Executive Orders and HHS Departmental Initiatives, supports Cooperative Agreements for research and professional development, reports on the health status of racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. and initiates strategic partnerships with governmental, national and regional organizations.

Information Available: Minority health calendar, Cooperative Agreements, reports, publications, minority health resources, data and statistics for selected racial and ethnic minority populations, training opportunities and fact sheets.

MEDLINEplus-Health Information

Description: MEDLINEplus, sponsored by the National Library of Medicine, includes a vast amount of health information on over 600 diseases and conditions. The site offers authoritative, up to date and appropriate health information for both health professionals and consumers.

African American Health
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/africanamericanhealth.html

Asian American Health
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/asianamericanhealth.html

Gay and Lesbian Health
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/gaylesbianhealth.html

Hispanic American Health
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hispanicamericanhealth.html

Native American Health
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/nativeamericanhealth.html

Information Available: Latest news, publications from the National Institutes of Health, directories, law and policy, nutrition, general overviews, prevention and screening, research, related conditions and aspects, genetics, organizations, statistics, specific populations, other foreign language material and links to related MEDLINEplus topics.

U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services,
Office of Minority Health (OMH) Resource Center
www.omhrc.gov

Description: The OMH Resource Center serves as an information and referral service on minority health issues for professionals, community groups, consumers and students. It distributes scientifically valid and culturally competent health information, encourages public participation in HHS programs and assists in conducting health campaigns.

Information Available: Data, statistics, Federal clearinghouses, technical assistance services, health links, publications, conferences, latest news, initiatives, programs, funding opportunities, health disparity information and a resource center.

National Organizations:

Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC),
Racial/Ethnic Disparities
www.hschange.org/index.cgi?topic=topic20

Description: The HSC, a policy research organization located in Washington, D.C., designs and conducts studies focused on the U.S. health care system to inform the thinking and decisions of policy makers in government and private industry. In addition to this applied use, HSC studies contribute more broadly to the body of health care policy research that enables decision makers to understand change and the national and local market forces driving that change.

Information Available: Issue briefs, community reports, data bulletins, tracking reports, journal articles, Community Tracking Study Data, recent news, conferences and resource links.

Health Disparities Collaboratives
www.healthdisparities.net/hdc/html/home.aspx

Description: The Health Disparities Collaboratives were developed to change primary health care practices in order to improve the health care provided to everyone and to eliminate health disparities. In 1998, the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC), part of the Department of Health and Human Services, funded collaboratives focused on primary care in each of five regional clusters. Since then the BPHC has funded collaboratives targeting oral health, migrant farm worker health care, homeless health care, diabetes, asthma, depression, cardiovascular disease, cancer and prevention.

Information Available: Resources for clinicians, patients and communities; step-by-step guides; tool kits; links to the various health collaboratives and their measures; a chronic care model; evidence-based clinical practice guidelines; trainings and events.

The Commonwealth Fund,
Underserved Populations
www.commonwealthfund.org/topics/topics.htm?attrib_id=12024&portal=yes

Description: Throughout its history, The Commonwealth Fund has attempted to address the disparities in health that characterize segments of the U.S. population. The Fund's program on Quality of Care for Underserved Populations is committed to assessing the impact of health system changes on the health of minority Americans, the quality of care they receive, their communities and the institutions that serve them.

Information Available: Fund publications and journal articles, articles published in professional literature and publications from other sources.

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation,
Minority Health
www.kff.org/minorityhealth/index.cfm

Description: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, an independent philanthropy, focuses on the major health care issues facing the nation. The Foundation is an independent voice and source of facts and analysis for policymakers, the media, the health care community and the general public.

Information Available: Fact sheets, statistics, publications, state-by-state data on minority health, surveys, web casts on minority health, forums, reports, leadership development and policy programs.

Population-Specific Organizations:

African American Health Care and Medical Information,
BlackHealthCare.com
www.blackhealthcare.com

Description: Blackhealthcare.com, a culturally oriented and ethnically focused comprehensive internet-based health and medical information provider, has dedicated itself to addressing the special health problems of African-Americans.

Information Available: Community issues, medical directories, health disparities, references, a chronic disease center (i.e. diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, AIDS, asthma and sickle cell anemia), community-based programs, healthy lifestyles, disease dictionary, articles, a smoking center, resources and information concerning the Closing the Gap Initiatives.

Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF)
www.apiahf.org/index.htm

Description: APIAHF promotes policy, program and research efforts for the improvement of health status of all Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. The Health Forum envisions a multicultural society where the Asian and Pacific Islander communities are included and represented in all health, political, social and economic arenas.

Information Available: Policy advocacy, media advisories, news alerts, Health Information Network, Center for Census Information and Services, HIV capacity-building assistance, the Asian & Pacific Islander (API) Institute on Domestic Violence, the API Tobacco Education Network, the API National Cancer Survivors Network, fact sheets, bibliographies, newsletters, testimonies, events and discussion lists.

Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA)
www.glma.org

Description: GLMA works to end homophobia in health care and make the health care environment a place of empathy, justice and equity for all people. GLMA focuses on increasing the visibility of the specific health concerns of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) patients and offers programs and services that provide and advocate for the LGBT community.

Information Available: Providers' Advocacy Network, Lesbian Health Fund, Online Health Care Referrals Program, Medical Expertise Retention Program, clinical information, health topics (i.e. Hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, etc.), publications, Healthy People 2010 Companion Document for LGBT Health, conferences, news, public policy issues and links to other resources.

National Alliance for Hispanic Health (Alliance)
www.hispanichealth.org

Description: The Alliance, the Nation's oldest and largest network of Hispanic health and human services providers, functions as the nation's action forum for Hispanic health. The programs of the Alliance work to inform and mobilize consumers, support providers in the delivery of quality care, promote appropriate use of technology, improve the science base for accurate decision making and promote philanthropy.

Information Available: Latest news, health facts, helplines and hotlines, funding opportunities, resources, publications, events, a primer for cultural proficiency and relevant topic briefs.

National Indian Health Board (NIHB)
www.nihb.org/index.php

Description: The NIHB represents Tribal Governments operating their own health care delivery systems through contracting and compacting, as well as those receiving health care directly from the Indian Health Service (IHS). The NIHB conducts research, policy analysis, program assessment and development, national and regional meeting planning, training, technical assistance and project management.

Information Available: Specific Native American health issues, resources, legislative alerts, NIHB Initiatives, conferences, newsletters, events, reports and additional links.