Promising Programs in Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health and Health Care Addressing... researched and compiled by Sarah McCloskey, Erin Kennedy, and Michele Sloan December 2004 and updated November 2007
African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Pacific Islanders, American Indians, and Alaskan Natives make up almost one third of the U.S. population. Within these racial and ethnic groups, about half of each respective population could be considered poor or near poor. When looking at healthcare data, it is a common trend that members of ethnic and minority groups have, in general, higher rates of disease and lower rates of seeking care. Furthermore, higher percentages of these groups are on Medicaid or without insurance. Demographically, minority groups impacted by healthcare disparities are concentrated in several locations, mainly in the southwest, but in other states as well.* Because of the importance of cultural competence and community building in order to eliminate disparities, many programs and organizations have emerged that target eliminating disparities for specific racial and ethnic groups.
*“Key Facts: Race, Ethnicity, and Medical Care”. Kaiser Family Foundation. January 2007.
www.kff.org/minorityhealth/upload/6069-02.pdf
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Asian American Diabetes Initiative – The AADI was established by the Joslin Diabetes Center in Massachusetts. The goals of this initiative are to study diabetes in the Asian-American population and disseminate research to healthcare providers and Asian-American communities, increase diabetes awareness through innovative and culturally appropriate educational materials, and design and implement clinical treatment programs for Asian Americans. The Joslin Center provided clinics, research centers, education, and outreach programs for Asians. Furthermore, the bilingual website provides many resources including information on the risk of diabetes, how to prevent diabetes, an interactive wok to calculate the nutritional values in typical Asian dishes, as well as exercise and nutritional-value videos. aadi.joslin.harvard.edu
Chinese Community Health Resource Center – This program is sponsored by the Chinese Community Health Plan, an HMO in San Francisco. The CCHRC tries to build a healthy community through culturally and linguistically competent preventive health care, disease management, and research programs. Its key focus is to educate the Chinese community. Two of its big programs are Women’s Health Day and Men’s Health Day, both of which emphasize disease prevention and health promotion. Other services provided include healtheducation seminars, community-specific education services, and a bilingual wellness library. www.cchphmo.com/cchrchealth
Orange County Asian Pacific Islander Community Alliance – This alliance seeks to build a healthier and stronger community by enhancing the well-being of Asians and Pacific Islanders through inclusive partnerships in the areas of service, education, advocacy, organizing, and research. The health-related programs of this Alliance include cancer screening for Vietnamese women, achieving cultural competency, eliminating health disparities among elders, and disseminating brochures informing the public about specific health issues. www.ocapica.org/about_programs.asp
Chinese Health Information Center – This center is located in the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa., and seeks to improve the healthcare accessibility and understanding among the Chinese population. In 2002 this center was given a grant from the OMH to identify the underserved Chinese language speakers and provide them with culturally and linguistically competent health education and care. This center provides a bilingual hotline, counseling programs, nutrition programs, a health library, and other social services. www.jeffersonhospital.org/chic
For more information, contact Eric Jacobson (302-831-1711).
photo on this page courtesy of the Administration on Aging
