Arkansas, South Carolina Address Racial Health Disparities
Speaking as part of a panel discussion in Mecklenberg, County, N.C., former Surgeon General David Satcher on July 20 said that black families and schools "can help reduce the racial disparities in health statistics," the Charlotte Observer reports. Satcher added that local officials should establish "clear, measurable goals" and promote healthy lifestyles to eliminate health gaps. "The same kids who become addicted to fast food can become addicted to fresh fruit and vegetables," Satcher said. Given that minorities in Mecklenburg County are about 20 times as likely as whites to die from an AIDS-related illness, Satcher also "stressed the importance" of schools employing comprehensive sex education that advocates abstinence "but also teaches about safe sex." Peter Safir, Mecklenberg County health director, said that while the county has three dozen programs in place to address racial disparities in health, "We have not gotten together as a community to make this a top health priority" (Rubin, Charlotte Observer, 7/21).
Arkansas Health Plans Participate in Study
As part of a Commonwealth Fund study, the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care collected data from the state's Medicaid program to assess any disparities in the quality of care received by minorities, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports. Seven other groups across the country also collected data. A review of the data found that minorities nationwide tend to have higher rates of most major diseases than do whites. However, the study also found that sometimes minorities had better health outcomes than whites and that minorities enrolled in Medicaid sometimes were healthier than minorities enrolled in commercial health plans. Dr. Dora Hughes, a senior program officer for the Commonwealth Fund, said that those findings need "further explanation -- we need to explore why" (Yee, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 7/21). The Commonwealth Fund study is available online. Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the report.
