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Health Disparities Central Depository

Background Information

At the Spring 2006 House of Delegates (HOD) Meeting, members requested that the American Dietetic Association (ADA) address health disparities and include this topic in the ADA strategic goals. One member further clarified that, “The nation's goals of increasing quality years of healthy life and eliminating health disparities by 2010 remains a work in progress. Unfortunately, the gap remains wide and continues to grow between and among racial and ethnic population groups in three specific areas: access to healthcare; delivery of quality, competent healthcare services; and health outcomes. Those particularly vulnerable are the working poor who have little insurance or no insurance; senior citizens who have to make choices between paying for their medication or food and shelter; children who have no insurance and women who are single parents, heading up households.” As a result of this request, the House of Delegates discussed this issue during the Fall 2007 meeting in Philadelphia. The information provided on this page is a direct result of this meeting and discussion.

Definitions

• Health disparities (also called health inequalities in some countries) refer to gaps in the quality of health and healthcare across racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups.
• The Health Resources and Services Administration defines health disparities as "population-specific differences in the presence of disease, health outcomes or access to healthcare."

Available Resources

• Networking News: Nutrition Education for the Public DPG Newsletter Articles
  
• Health Disparities (Fall 2007)
  Includes free CPE opportunity!
• Outcome of Fall 2007 HOD Meeting Dialogue Session
  
• Health Disparities Resource List
  
• ADA's Diversity Mentoring Toolkit
  
• NEW! ADA Tip Sheets on Health Disparities
  
• Health Disparities in Cancer
  
• Public Health/Community Nutrition Practice Group The Digest
  
• Physician's Failure to Address Cultural Needs
  
• Kaiser Family Foundation Creates New Online Tool
  

Announcements of Opportunities

• NEW! Live Webcast: Today's Topics in Health Disparities — Tuesday, December 9, 2008
  
• Documentary “Unnatural Causes" Available
  
• Free CE on Health Literacy from HRSA
  
• The Disparity Reducing Advances Project (DRA)
  
• A Healthier America: 10 Top Priorities for Prevention
  
• National Women's Law Center — Progressive Leadership and Advocacy Network
  

Resources Coming Soon

• National Award (Status as of 10/08: Under discussion)
• Ethics Opinion (Status as of 10/08: Under development by the Ethics Committee; Authors and reviewers selected. Anticipated publication in 2009).
• ADA Position Statement (Status as of 10/08: The Association Positions Committee has received a proposed position concept on this topic)
• Evidence Analysis (Status as of 5/08: New project for the 2008-2009 Program Year by the Evidence-Based Practice Committee).