Provided by the Office of Minority Health Resource Center
June 15, 2012

Minority Children Affected by Disparities in Asthma Health Care
By J. Nadine Gracia, MD, MSCE Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health (Acting)

Asthma affects nearly 26 million Americans, including 7 million children. While advancements in treatment and interventions have improved health outcomes for many suffering from this respiratory disease, that progress has not yet reached everyone. Poor and minority children bear the greatest burden of the disease, suffering from asthma at higher rates, experiencing greater exposure to environmental triggers and receiving less access to quality care.

On Thursday, May 31, 2012, the Obama administration launched a new approach to closing that gap: the Coordinated Federal Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Asthma Disparities. Read More.

More Resources:

• Obama administration working to close racial, ethnic gap on asthma
• President’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children [PDF | 287KB]
• Prevent Allergy and Asthma Attacks at Home: Quick Guide to Healthy Living
• The My Air, My Health HHS/EPA Challenge

 

June is Men's Health Week
Men's Health Week is about bringing national attention to the state of men's health in order to "heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys."

Celebrated during the month of June (Men's Health Month) and leading up to Father's Day, the week allows health care providers, public policy makers, media, family and friends to encourage men and boys to regularly participate in preventive screenings, seek regular medical advice and receive early treatment for disease and injury.

More Resources:

• Preventing The Top 7 threats to Men's Health
• Men's Health Network
• Screenings Men Need

 

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects 1 in 29 Americans, from our country’s service men and women to abused children and survivors of rape, domestic violence and natural disasters. During PTSD Awareness Month in June, and throughout the year, we recognize the millions of Americans who experience this challenging and debilitating condition.

More Resources:

• Statement by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on PTSD Month
• The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the United States government’s principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. HHS and its operating divisions offer a variety of resources and programs specifically designed to support military families.
  Learn more about HHS resources for military families and those who assist them.

All Americans, no less lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals, deserve the right to accessible, affordable, quality health care. Observing LGBT Pride Month in June spotlights our commitment to addressing the special health needs of LGBT Americans and reducing health disparities for them and members of other vulnerable communities.

Read the full statement by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on LGBT Pride Month.
Healthy People 2020 LGBT Health
Webinar: A Spotlight on LGBT Health: Transgender Health Issues

To support the 2012 observance of National HIV Testing Day (NHTD), AIDS.gov (on behalf of HHS) will host a webinar/conference call HIV Testing for an AIDS-Free Generation on Tuesday June 26, 2012 from 2-3 pm (EDT).

Several of the U.S. Government’s leading voices on HIV/AIDS will provide updates on the state of HIV/AIDS in the U.S. Speakers include: Dr. Grant Colfax (Director, White House Office of National AIDS Policy) (invited), Dr. Deborah Parham Hopson (Associate Administrator, HIV/AIDS Bureau, HRSA), Dr. Jonathan Mermin (CDC), Mr. Richard Klein (FDA), Mr. David Vos (HUD), Dr. Caroline Ryan (OGAC), Dr. Linda Youngman (SAMHSA), and Dr. Maggie Czarnogorski (VA) .

Register for this event by June 22. Everyone is invited to listen in – federal staff, grantees and stakeholders working with domestic HIV/AIDS programs are encouraged to participate.

Visit this page for more information.

Making the Economic Case for Health Equity: State and Tribal Solutions Webinar.
Health equity is an economic issue as well as a social justice issue. Significant inequities and disparities exist between different racial/ethnic groups, socioeconomic classes, geographical location, and in social determinants of health such as poverty, education, inadequate housing, and unsafe working conditions. The burden of health inequities constitutes a huge financial and social cost to our nation in terms of the quantity and quality of life. Join ASTHO's webinar on June 22, 2012 for a thoughtful discussion on this topic.
Click here to register

Save the Date: 2012 Summit on the Science of Eliminating Health Disparities
The 2012 Summit will be held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, National Harbor, Maryland, from October 31 - November 3, 2012. For more information, please contact 2012summit@mail.nih.gov.

Call for Abstracts
Abstracts are invited for oral, poster, and panel presentations focused on integrating science, practice, and policy to build a healthier global society.

Are Americans Aware of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities?
Only modestly, it seems. Read the article Awareness of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Has Improved Only Modestly over a Decade .  Also, Awareness of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
Study Brief [PDF | 112KB]
2010 General Population [PDF | 257KB]
2009 General Population [PDF | 254KB]

Search the OMH Library Catalog Online
OMH has launched a new online catalog search tool. Now you can find books, reports, journals, media, articles, and organizations related to the health status of racial and ethnic minority populations all online. Contact the OMH Knowledge Center for guidance on searching the content. Start searching.

Ethnic Differences in Mental Illness and Mental Health Service Use among Black Fathers Doyle, O.; Joe, S.; Caldwell, C. H. American Journal of Public Health, v. 102, Supplement 2 (May), p. s222-s231, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300446

Gathering Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Data in Health IT: Better Information Can Help Close Disparities Gap / Baker, K. -- Washington, DC: Center for American Progress, 2012 / 4 p.
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2012/02/pdf/baker_lgbt_fact_sheet.html

Guidelines for Psychological Practice With Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients / American Psychological Association (APA). American Psychologist, v. 67, #1 (January), p. 10-42, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0024659

Hispanic Lesbians and Bisexual Women at Heightened Risk or Health Disparities / Kim, H. J.; Fredriksen-Goldsen, K. I. American Journal of Public Health, v. 102, #1 (January), p. e9-e15, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300378

The Influence of Implicit Bias on Treatment Recommendations for 4 Common Pediatric Conditions: Pain, Urinary Tract Infection, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Asthma / Sabin, J. A.; Greenwald, A. G. American Journal of Public Health, v. 102, #5 (May), p. 988-995, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300621

Medication Adherence among Latino and Non-latino White Children with Asthma / McQuaid, E. L.; Everhart, R. S.; Seifer, R.; Kopel, S. J.; Mitchell, D. K., et al. Pediatrics, v. 129, #6 (June), p. e1404-e1410, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2011-1391

Modeling the Impact of Social Discrimination and Financial Hardship on the Sexual Risk of HIV among Latino and Black men who Have Sex with Men / Ayala, G.; Bingham, T.; Kim, J.; Wheeler, D. P.; Millet, G. A. American Journal of Public Health, v. 102, Supplement 2 (May), p. s242-s249, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300641

The Relationship Between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, and Lung Disorders in Northern Plains and Southwest American Indians / Sprague, D.; Bogart, A.; Manson, S.; Buchwald, D.; Goldberg, J. / American Indian Services Utilization, Psychiatric, Epidemiology, Risk and Protective Factors Project (AI-SUPERPFP). Ethnicity & Health, v. 15, #6 (December) p. 569-579, 2011.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13557858.2010.500017

Religious Climate and Health Risk Behaviors in Sexual Minority Youths: A Population-based Study / Hatzenbueler, M. L.; Pachankis, J. E.; Wolff, J. American Journal of Public Health, v. 102, #4 (April), p. 657-663, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300517

Taking It Like a Man: Masculine Role Norms as Moderators of the Racial Discrimination-Depressive Symptoms Association among African American Men / Hammond, W. P. American Journal of Public Health, v. 102, Supplement 2 (May), p. s232-s241, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300485

Trying to Breathe Easy / Moscou, S. Minority Nurse, (Spring), p. 14-16, 2012.
http://www.minoritynurse.com/trying-breathe-easy

Young Native American Men and their Intention to use Family Planning Services / Rink, E.; Fourstar, K.; Elk, J. M.; Dick, R., et al. American Journal of Men's Health, v. 6, #4 (July), p. 324-330, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1557988312439226