National Minority Health Month: BlackDoctor.org · Health And Human Services · Think Cultural Health · New Jersey Events
Health disparities—the differences in health and well-being—have a significant impact on our nation and among racial and ethnic populations in particular. Minorities are less likely to get the preventive care needed to stay healthy, less likely to receive quality care, and more likely to face poorer health outcomes.
The deaths that result from these health disparities cost the United States $1.24 trillion. Healthier communities mean lower health care costs, which translate into a stronger economy and a more productive, competitive America.
During this National Minority Health Month, we highlight the work of the HHS OMH and its partners that serve as bridges between the sectors that impact health.
All of us are touched by health. Whether you are a banker providing small business loans to bring grocery stores to local neighborhoods or a school administrator looking to bring a health center to your school, community-based partnerships are helping us move closer to being a nation where everyone has the opportunity to achieve their full potential for health.
Achieving a nation free of disparities in health and health care extends beyond the walls of federal offices. As we deepen our reach into this current era of public health, we step into an age of a greater understanding of the factors upon which better health is built—the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live and age. This knowledge underscores our goal in building stronger relationships and alliances that achieve better health outcomes for all communities by bolstering the efforts of our partners.
OMH and our partners continue to stand at the forefront of responding to the needs of the community and driving monumental advancements in programs, policies, data and research. Together, over the past 30 years we have led health equity efforts at the grassroots level and seen these efforts through from recommendation to implementation. Since 1986, our office has provided tangible support to state and territorial offices of minority health, multicultural health and health equity; community and faith-based organizations; national associations and organizations; institutions of higher education; tribes and tribal organizations; and research institutions dedicated to improving the health of racial and ethnic minorities.
The need to accelerate our efforts in innovative approaches to improve minority health remains evident by the persistent gaps in health and health care across communities of color, consequently leading to poorer health outcomes.
We recognize the importance of partnerships with communities and organizations in closing the gap on health disparities and achieving better health. And as we support the work of these health equity champions, we also create a future where the intersection of health and social condition serves as the crucial nexus for ending health disparities in America.