University Grants, California Program Seek To Address Minority Health Disparities

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 19 Nov 2007 - 5:00 PDT

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Meharry Medical College: Meharry's Center for Women's Health Research has received a five-year, $1 million grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation to expand its research and educational programs that target minority women, the Tennesseanreports. The center, which opened in 2006, is the first in the nation to focus exclusively on understanding and addressing the health disparities faced by minority women, according to the Tennessean (Ward, Tennessean, 11/12).

Nassau Health Care Corp.: Nassau County, N.Y., Executive Thomas Suozzi and NHCC officials on Thursday announced the development of a $6 million Institute for Health Care Disparities, which will aim to reduce health care disparities between minority and white residents, Long Island Newsday reports. Arthur Gianelli, president and CEO of NHCC, said the institute -- which will be the first in the state to specifically target underserved populations -- will focus primarily on cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, pediatric asthma and obesity. The institute will aim to aid access to screening, medical treatment and follow-up care. Gianelli said, "As the principal safety-net provider for Nassau County's underserved communities, the NHCC (will have) programs that focus on health disparities by creating an institute that will serve as a ... model ... health care system that is more accessible to communities of need" (Cassese, Long Island Newsday, 11/16).

Oakland Kicks Asthma: The federally funded, citywide asthma prevention program is designed to teach children how to better manage their asthma and prevent hospitalizations, the Oroville Mercury Register reports. Black children in Alameda County have the second-highest asthma-related hospitalization rates in the state, according to a report by the Oakland Berkeley Asthma Coalition. The report cites poverty and living in substandard housing, which is more likely to have mold, dust and other environmental factors that trigger asthma attacks, as reasons behind the high rates. More than 20% of blacks in Alameda County live in such conditions -- nearly four times the rate of whites. Program participants take a four-session course over their lunch period that teaches them how to recognize, as well as prevent and control, an asthma attack. They also are taught how to properly use their medications, and some families receive allergy-proof mattresses, pillowcases and special vacuum cleaners for removing mold (Replogle, Oroville Mercury Register, 11/11).

University of Illinois-Chicago: CDC has awarded the university a five-year, $4.2 million grant to target health disparities among blacks and Hispanics with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Using a combination of education, control and prevention strategies, researchers from UIC's Midwest Latino Health Research, Training and Policy Center will examine how community involvement can help residents lead healthier lives and influence health care policies. Researchers first will target four Chicago neighborhoods and then expand the program regionally and nationally (UIC release, 11/13).

Winston-Salem State University: The National Center of Minority Health and Disparities has awarded WSSU a five-year, $4.7 million grant to establish the Center for Research to Improve Minority Health and Eliminate Health Disparities. The center will focus on developing research to improve minority health and aim to eliminate health disparities, according to Sylvia Flack, principal investigator for the grant. The funding also will go toward four major research investigations and eight pilot projects that address disparities in diabetes, HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, hypertension and obesity. In addition, the grant will fund two major investigations in health disparities interventions (WSSU release, 11/13).

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