Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Family found dead in Ohio home
Man gets 3 years in prison for having sex with horse
Brown still testing Cavs' lineup
Take comfort in knowing Browns could be bigger losers
Kosar would be wrong call as GM
Sex-toy study at Duke University raises some eyebrows
Akron man turns himself in after authorities turn up heat
Robbers order bar patrons to empty pockets
Blogs:
Pets:
Not 101 Dalmations…but close!
The Heldenfiles:
Friday Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
For your perusal
Akron Zips:
The morning after
Tribe Matters:
Tribe makes roster moves
Cleveland Browns:
Lewis doesn't like boycott
Kent State Sports:
Kent State falls to Akron, 20-28
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs at Knicks
Buckeye Blogging:
Weekly ‘B’ Deck Report – New Mexico St.
Varsity Letters:
Wrestling, bowling teams prepare for season
All Da King's Men:
If It Looks Like Islamic Terrorism…
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Dems Message To Women: Don't Enjoy The Sex
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (62) The Stupak Amendment
See Jane Style:
Muffle Your Muffler
Car Chase:
Perfect Weather for an Autumn Drive
Let's Talk Real Estate:
RUMORS: Downtown Restaurant Explosion
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Jack is looking for a trip to Southern Ohio the week of November 16.
Sound Check:
The Black Keys to perform benefit concert at Musica on November 27
HRLite House:
Personal Rant – Why People Do Not Live in Northeast Ohio
Akron Gamer:
New 'Call of Duty' could set entertainment record
Department to open office for minority care
By Tracy Wheeler
Beacon Journal medical writer
Published on Thursday, Dec 27, 2007
Local health officials know that African-Americans die younger, on average, than whites.
The question is: Why?
In an effort to find some answers, the Akron Health Department won a state grant to open a new Office of Minority Health in Akron.
The $83,000 grant from the Ohio Commission on Minority Health will pay for a full-time director, along with part-time staff and supplies.
One of the office's first goals will be to find out how blacks and whites differ in their health
behaviors, said Tom Quade, the health department's manager of community health assessment and health promotion.
Every year, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveys Summit County and the rest of the country as part of its Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Until now, Quade said, the CDC only polled about 400 Summit County residents — too few to allow health officials to accurately break the results down by race.
But the state grant — along with donations from Akron General Medical Center, the Summa Hospitals Foundation and the Healthy Connections Network — will allow the health department to buy more local polling, possibly drawing in four times as many participants.
With that, the office will be able to see how blacks and whites compare in such issues as smoking, exercise, nutrition and taking part in various health screenings, like mammograms.
Such information could help steer money toward programs that will make the most difference, he said.
The ongoing purpose of the Office of Minority Health will be to reach out to established community groups that focus on social, economic, cultural or educational issues as they pertain to health.
The new office will not create new programs or compete with community groups for money, Quade said. Rather, the office will help existing community- based programs flourish. In fact, he sees the office as a ''grant magnet,'' identifying available money statewide and nationwide and then passing it on to local community groups.
Local statistics show that in Summit County's more well-to-do neighborhoods, African- Americans die nearly a decade earlier than whites.
And, on average, blacks die younger than whites, regardless of the money they make or the neighborhood where they live.
Tracy Wheeler can be reached at 330-996-3721 or tawheeler@thebeaconjournal.com.
Local health officials know that African-Americans die younger, on average, than whites.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
