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Message From the Executive Director |
 The mission of the Center of Excellence for the Elimination of Health Disparities - an interdisciplinary, intra-institutional applied health services and research center - is to improve minority health outcomes and eliminate health disparities within the community, state and nation through research, education, and community outreach activities. It draws on the collective expertise of researchers, educators, practitioners and providers in the areas of health and human services, health services research, environmental health, health economics, epidemiology, rehabilitation, public health, evaluation research, social psychology, medical sociology and biomedical research.
It is hard to believe in this age of technology and advances in health care there are individuals in this country that do not experience the same quality of life afforded most Americans. Health disparities refer to the chasm between quality health and poor health as seen across racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups. A look at health and health care for ethnic, racial and socioeconomic populations reveals overwhelming needs for many in disparities populations and also it speaks volumes about the state of the nation's healthcare system.
Health disparities are costly to the entire nation. These unmanaged health conditions result in expensive and avoidable health and social complications not only to the individual and groups experiencing them, but also to all who pay taxes; those who depend on other people to accomplish tasks; and those who depend on others for their livelihood, such as children. Health disparities disrupt families, future dreams and societies.
Recognizing that the health of our nation will not be any stronger than the health of ethnic, racial and socioeconomic groups in our nation the Center has launched upon a course of action to discover futher biomedical and/or health service causes of disparities. One significant grant in this division is the Patient Centered study. The researcher has evidence that developing a patient-centered relationship that is based on trust is significant in eliminating disparities. The Center has developed a national program to increase minority health providers with the goal of first increasing the African American registered nurse population. Our intent is to make a difference in the status of health disparities in this community, state and nation.
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