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Federal government wants to hear the public's ideas about health-care disparities
By Cheryl Powell
Beacon Journal medical writer
Published on Saturday, Jul 05, 2008
The federal government wants to tackle health-care disparities by talking to you and your neighbors.
Now through mid-October, a series of ''local conversations'' will take place in Akron and 13 other Ohio communities as part of a national effort to determine the barriers to health-care equality for blacks, as well as Asian-Americans, Native Americans and Hispanics/Latinos.
The results from these meetings will be compiled into a state report, which then will be shared — along with reports from other states — with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health at a national meeting in January, said Cheryl Boyce, executive director of the Ohio Commission on Minority Health.
''It's an attempt to do a national blueprint without it being done in a vacuum,'' said Boyce, who chairs the National Association of State Offices on Minority Health.
Local statistics paint a grim picture: On average, blacks die younger than whites, regardless of the money they make or the neighborhood where they live. Even in Summit
County's more well-to-do neighborhoods, African-Americans die nearly a decade sooner than whites.
Why is this happening?
Experts point to a complex set of social, economic, educational, cultural and racial circumstances, as well as a lack of health insurance, a distrust of the medical establishment, poor personal choices and inferior health care for minorities.
The upcoming conversations in communities throughout the state will give people a chance to talk about those problems, as well as community programs that are addressing the issues, Boyce said. ''Besides all the problems that there are with disparities,'' she said, ''there also are a tremendous amount of programs that are being done in local communities.''
The Akron Health Department's Office of Minority Health is seeking a location for its community meeting, scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 10.
The ideal spot would be able to accommodate at least 50 people and have rooms for smaller, break-out sessions, said meeting coordinator Liz Piatt, an assistant professor in community health sciences at the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy.
During the daylong meeting, Piatt said, ''we're going to have people talking about needs in the community related to resources, services, infrastructure and capacity building, all related to minority health issues and needs.''
Anyone interested in getting information or donating a meeting spot can contact the Office of Minority Health at 330-375-2489.
The Stark County Minority Health Coalition is hosting an invitation-only meeting from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 28 at Stark State College in Jackson Township.
''It's a whole big issue,'' said Kathy Paris, health educator and public information officer for the Canton Health Department. ''I doubt if it's something we're going to cover in one day, but it's a start.''
The Community Action Council of Portage County Inc. also is planning a community meeting for the end of August or early September, said Arlyne Habeeb, the agency's director of community and outreach services. For information, call 330-297-1456.
In addition to the community events, statewide meetings are taking place with coalitions representing the Asian-American, Native American and Hispanic/Latino communities.
''The more voices we get,'' Boyce said, ''the better.''
Cheryl Powell can be reached at 330-996-3902 or chpowell@thebeaconjournal.com.
The federal government wants to tackle health-care disparities by talking to you and your neighbors.
Get the full article here.
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