The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health celebrates National Minority Health Month every year, in April.
The observation was established to highlight the importance of improving health outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities by reducing health disparities.
Health disparities are preventable differences in the quality of healthcare and health outcomes experienced by groups of people due to social inequities.
Communities of color or those of lower socioeconomic status are often disproportionately exposed to factors that lead to health disparities. Common disparities that occur among these groups are:
- A lack of access to healthcare
- Being uninsured or underinsured
- Higher rates of premature death, infant mortality, cancer, and chronic diseases such as diabetes
- Lower rates of life expectancy
Disparities in underserved populations develop as a result of the unequal distribution of resources needed to achieve optimal health or live a healthy life. However, they can be reduced by addressing social determinants of health such as food insecurity, access to health services, the conditions in which people live, and language and literacy skills.
Many of these challenges exist in urban areas such as Queens, New York – the most ethnically and racially diverse county in the United States. The richness in diversity of the borough gives much to celebrate such as the most languages spoken in one region; however, health disparities continue to prevail in some neighborhoods due to social inequities. Some of the health disparities that persist include:
- Higher rates of tobacco addiction
- Higher rates of breast, colorectal, cervical, and prostate cancers
- Higher infant mortality rates
- Prevalence in chronic diseases such as diabetes
- Prevalence in mental health disorders
- Prevalence in unintentional injuries, such as those incurred by falling
Jamaica Hospital aims to reduce or eliminate health disparities that affect its community by increasing access to high-quality, patient-centered healthcare. The hospital has launched several initiatives and offers various programs and services to meet the unique needs of its patient population. This includes:
- Food assistance programs such as WIC
- A smoking cessation program
- A diabetes prevention program
- A care management program
- A CenteringPregnancy program
- Inpatient and outpatient mental health services
- The promotion of culturally and linguistically competent care, supported by a diverse group of bilingual patient navigators and language assistance
- The promotion of health literacy through social media campaigns
- The provision of world-class cancer care and services
- The provision of integrated healthcare
- Community outreach and education provided by the Trauma Department
To learn more about Jamaica Hospital’s initiatives to increase access to quality healthcare and the wide range of services provided by the hospital, please visit www.JamaicaHospital.org
All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.