City Efforts Address Racial Health Disparities Among Blacks, Hispanics, Provide Care to American Indian/Alaska Natives

• Durham, N.C.: The Durham County Public Health Department and local black churches on Saturday will hold the 2008 Health & Wellness Faith Conference, aimed at addressing racial health disparities, the Raleigh News & Observer reports. The conference will provide tools to faith-based organizations and churches to implement health-related activities (Raleigh News & Observer, 5/31).
  
  
• Frederick, Md.: The Minority Outreach Technical Assistance Program on May 30 held its first health conference aimed at increasing awareness of disparities in health care, the Frederick News Post reports. At the conference, panelists noted local and regional statistics about inequalities among minorities and addressed the reasons behind the data. MOTA was founded by the Statewide Public Health Component of the Cigarette Restitution Fund Program to promote physical and mental health in minorities. The group hopes to hold the conference annually (Negas, Frederick News Post, 6/1).
  
  
• Lomo Linda, Calif.: A no-cost health educational course is teaching local Hispanics how to manage their diabetes. The course was developed by Zaida Cordero-MacIntyre, a public health professor at Loma Linda University who is researching ways to reduce high diabetes rate among the group. As part of the course, participants for three months attended four evening classes focusing on nutrition and exercise to prevent complications from their disease. Participants underwent diagnostic tests at the start and conclusion of the course to measure results. Cordero-MacIntyre said participants significantly lowered blood sugar and cholesterol levels, body weight and gained confidence (Wall, San Bernardino Sun, 5/31).
  
  
• Tucson, Ariz.: The Arizona Daily Star on Monday profiled the Healing Rain House clinic, which seeks to provide personalized health care to American Indians and Alaska Natives. The new clinic -- which opened in April -- is a part of the San Xavier Health Center. It also is one of 14 pilot sites across the nation participating in Innovations in Planned Care, an initiative focused on chronic disease treatment and prevention among the groups. The Rain House receives funding through Indian Health Services and has six employees, including a physical therapist and two physicians who work on alternating schedules (Sottosanti, Arizona Daily Star, 6/2).