Office of Minority Health

Your last chance to enroll in or change Marketplace health insurance plans for 2018 is December 15, 2017. That’s just over 2 weeks away. This is the last and only deadline for 2018 coverage.

As we observe World AIDS Day on December 1, we remember those we’ve lost to the disease, reflect on the progress we’ve made in treating patients, and resolve to end the HIV and AIDS epidemic. SAMHSA’s role in ending HIV is vitally important because the people we are charged with caring for – those with a mental or substance use disorder – are disproportionately affected by HIV.

As an orthopedic surgeon serving a primarily minority population in southern California for about 40 years, I performed far too many amputations resulting from complications of type 2 diabetes.

For those living in lower income neighborhoods, the costs of poverty are high. Food deserts, fewer educational opportunities and higher crime are only a few of the struggles often confronted by residents in low-income neighborhoods. In some cases, even the house they come home to each day may not be safe.

In observance of Native American Heritage Month, OMH presents an interview with Brandon Frechette from this spring’s #Bridge2Health Twitter Town Hall. Frechette is a a member of the Menominee Nation and an OMH Health Equity Change Maker who is leading efforts to address disparities in at-risk Tribal youth through the Menominee Youth Empowerment Program at the College of Menominee Nation in Keshena, WI.

Natural disasters can affect every aspect of life in the areas they touch. These disasters can have an even bigger impact on victims of domestic violence and those at risk.

For victims of domestic violence in shelters, the situation can become more complicated. They have already been displaced from their homes, and may not have access to the support and supplies they need. There’s an added risk to the lack of privacy in mass shelter facilities. Evacuating impacted areas can leave victims in unknown territory and vulnerable to further abuse.

This is why it’s important that first responders like paramedics, firefighters, and law enforcement are aware of these unique concerns for domestic violence victims so they can respond accordingly.

We know how challenging it can be to stay committed to healthy living goals.

To help people create lasting change in their health and wellbeing, the American Heart Association has launched Healthy For Good™  , a revolutionary new movement built on four core ideas: Eat smart. Add color. Move more. Be well.

On March 15, 2015, the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released data from the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).¹  This project was jointly supported by the Office of Minority Health at the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and it was the first national health survey to use a sample frame consisting of NHPI households. This project was the result of years of advocacy by Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community organizations, leaders, and health researchers, combined with advancements in federal policies on data collection standards for racial/ethnic populations.

Like many new moms, I was bombarded with advice when my first child was born. I was given guidance on things like when and how he should eat and sleep — and even how he should play and learn. As a first-time mom trying to follow all the rules, it was quite overwhelming.

High blood pressure. Type 2 Diabetes. What do these two conditions have in common? Their numbers are growing and obesity may be the reason why. Childhood obesity in the United States has more than tripled since the 1970s, and the crisis poses a particular threat to the life expectancy of Hispanic children. About 40% of Hispanic children in the U.S. are either overweight or obese, while 20% are obese, higher than many other racial and ethnic populations.

To aid state and territory officials in preparing for potential health impacts, HHS makes emPOWER data available to public health officials in Puerto Rico and Florida. This data shows the number of Medicare beneficiaries in each potentially impacted area who rely on any of 14 types of life-maintaining and assistive equipment, ranging from oxygen concentrators to electric wheelchairs, as well as data on the number of people who rely on dialysis, oxygen and home health services. These people are among the most vulnerable in their communities and are most likely to need life-saving assistance in prolonged power outages.

Henry, a veteran from Baltimore, experienced post-traumatic stress disorder with terrifying nightmares, mental health issues, and drug addiction. Then he found Chase Brexton, a health center near his home. Chase Brexton not only helped Henry better manage his health, it made him feel like he’s in a family. “I’ve been an addict for well over 20 years,” he said. “If you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, come to Chase Brexton.”

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is using one of the most extensive health-based telephone surveys available to help reverse a long-standing lack of health information about American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations.

Monique Baker lives in California with her fiancée and their 6-week-old daughter, Alexandria Nicole. As a mother and baby nurse, Monique sees firsthand both the joys and challenges that come with breastfeeding after a baby is born.

New moms have a lot to juggle. In the midst of all this, it’s easy to forget about their health, especially mental health. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), postpartum depression and anxiety occurs for mothers in 15% of births¹. Postpartum depression is when feelings of sadness, anxiousness, and emptiness affect day-to-day life around the time of birth. Physical and emotional factors, including the big hormonal changes that come with pregnancy, cause the condition. Fortunately there are treatments for PMAD, such as talk therapy, antidepressant medications, or a combination of the two that can help.

I’ve always been a science nut. Growing up in Puerto Rico, I wondered why helium balloons raise your voice pitch – unless you have asthma like me. In sixth grade, my helium experiment testing lung capacity of people with asthma compared to those who did not won 1st prize at the school and regional science fairs. 

As we commemorate June as Men’s Health Month, the Office of Minority Health (OMH) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) continues its work to help justice-involved males successfully return to their communities upon being discharged.

We’ve all been amazed by elite athletes able to dazzle and dictate a game’s outcome through their play-making ability, exceptional talent and sometimes, sheer will.  Whether it’s in basketball, soccer, hockey, football or individual sports, the best play-makers serve up more than highlights; they also control the pace of the game to lead them and their teams to success.

Registration is now open !

The 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee will convene its fourth public meeting July 19 – 21, 2017. You can attend the meeting online via videocast.

To learn more about our name change and the reasons behind it, join us for our Facebook Livediscussion on Wednesday, June 7, at 12:00 p.m. (ET), with Dr. Richard Wolitski, Director of the HHS Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy, Jesse Milan, Jr., President & CEO of AIDS United, and Kaye Hayes, Executive Director of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS.

Summary: In the United States, more than $300 billion, and globally, about $1 trillion are lost each year due to illness and lost productivity related to tobacco use.

Shemiah Sanchez may have lupus, but she doesn’t let the chronic autoimmune disease stop her from being an all-star athlete. Now a sophomore majoring in business, Sanchez plays infield for the Louisiana State University Tigers softball team.

Earlier this spring, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (The National Academies) released the National Strategy for the Elimination of Hepatitis B and C: Phase 2 Report  to bring greater urgency to a set of diseases that is the seventh leading cause of death in the world. This report, co-sponsored by the HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable, outlines a strategy to eliminate hepatitis B and C and prevent nearly 90,000 deaths by 2030.

If someone told me years ago that I’d one day run a full marathon, I would not have believed them. Me? A runner? No way. In 2012, I joined a running group as a way to fellowship with other women and stay healthy at the same time. I started out taking baby steps, and soon enough, I was walking less and running more.

What started with a small group of women on the National Mall wanting to be more active has led me to the Chicago Marathon. And even though the race is still months away, I am getting ready now. Spring brings longer, warmer days perfect for women of all ages to get active and make their health a priority during National Women’s Health Week in May.

The Sharing the Journey series is by you and for you. In your own words, we highlight the perspectives and personal experiences of people who struggle with lupus each day. This month, we asked Sharing the Journey participants what they have planned for Lupus Awareness Month (May) and what they do throughout the year to raise awareness for this devastating and unpredictable disease.

One of America’s greatest strengths is its racial and cultural diversity, and with this brings a need to provide behavioral health care that meets the needs of the nation’s growing and ever-changing population. ¹ Research that supports the development of treatment services for behavioral health disorders (mental and substance use disorders) is critical to improving quality of care. Evidence-based practices (EBPs) include strategies that research has shown to be effective for treating behavioral health issues.. However, there is a persistent gap in the availability of EBPs tailored to diverse communities.

FDA’s Office of Minority Health (OMH) is committed to the HHS mission of advancing health equity, and our office works year-round to advance FDA’s message of ensuring the safety and efficacy of our nation’s food supply and medical products to all communities, but with a focus on minority groups. The first HHS Office of Minority Health was established nearly three decades ago and FDA’s own office came into being in 2010.

Each April we observe National Minority Health Month. This year’s theme was, Bridging Health Equity Across Communities. This theme acknowledges the important role that social determinants of health play in individual and community well-being. It also evokes action and activitiy around health equity. For it is not enough for us to simply observe National Minority Health Month and share statistics on long-standing health and health care disparities. We should strive to move the needle by reducing these disparities and improving health care quality and outcomes for all. As this National Minority Health Month, comes to a close, I’m hoping each of us can take a moment and consider the following question: 

Greek mythology includes the fable of Gordius and his infamous knot. After ascending to the throne of Phrygia, Gordius dedicated his ox-cart to Zeus by tethering it to a post using an intricate knot. An oracle declared that the man who successfully unraveled the complex knot would become the next king of Asia. Countless prospects tried but failed to unravel the entwined mass, which was comprised of several tightly entangled knots that were seemingly impossible to loosen.

“One of the strategies that’s really important is for the communities to be engaged in a meaningful respectful way. The community needs to see the translation of what they want in the work that’s being done.” - Cheryl Boyce, former Executive Director of the Ohio Commission on Minority Health

“Without health and long life, all else fails.”  Dr. Booker T. Washington wrote these words in a letter to leading African American newspapers in April 1915, proposing the observance of “National Negro Health Week.” This proposition became the foundation for National Minority Health Month, observed every April in the United States.

National Minority Health Month (NMHM) is observed annually in April. The HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) is the Federal planning lead and collaborates with partners across the country. The theme for 2017, Bridging Health Equity Across Communities, emphasizes the collaborative, community-level work being done across the nation to help achieve health equity.

Achieving a nation free of disparities in health and health care extends beyond the walls of federal offices. As we deepen our reach into this current era of public health, we step into an age of a greater understanding of the factors upon which better health is built—the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live and age. This knowledge underscores our goal in building stronger relationships and alliances that achieve better health outcomes for all communities by bolstering the efforts of our partners.

Many people are familiar with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s 1968 assessment that "of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhuman."

Equally important and less cited is the solution King offered in the sentence that followed: "I see no alternative to direct action and creative nonviolence to raise the conscience of the nation."

Fifteen.  That is the number of major family holidays – Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and Easter – that have passed since my father died from colon cancer in June 2013.

Although he was an intelligent, engaging physician, a common enemy, fear, made him wait until it was too late to get a screening exam.  He lost his fight against this disease, despite a significant support system and compassionate, expert care from many of the finest health care institutions in the country.  The ripple effect caused by the loss of his energy, enthusiasm, and productivity continues to be felt in my family and in his community.

Every March during Women’s History Month, the HHS Office of Minority Health celebrates the extraordinary lives and contributions of great American women who have worked to improve the health and health care of racial and ethnic minority populations. As a woman and a professional who has spent more than three decades dedicated to expanding access to quality health care for vulnerable populations, I have always been inspired by the trailblazing women who forged a path for future generations through their hard work, courage and commitment to improving the lives of others.

I never had health problems when I was growing up. I played sports in high school and competitive intramural volleyball in college. I was active and fit. But then one night in October 2010, I began to experience trouble breathing. My then-husband took me to the emergency room where the doctor said my lungs were inflamed and sent me home. The next day, I went to another ER where the doctor determined that my heart was enlarged and sent me to a cardiologist who confirmed the condition.

Most people are aware of the Oscar nominated film Hidden Figures – the story chronicling the team of African American women mathematicians who played a crucial role at NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program. Their story is one of determination and achievement despite hurdles intended to block their progress. Their triumph is a symbol of African American progress in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), a story that resonates more than 50 years later during Black History Month.

Summary: Springboard Beyond Cancer helps empower cancer survivors to play a key role in managing their own health.

Public health stakeholders from the federal to the local level are looking for ways to combat the opioid crisis. Two available resources are the Public Health 3.0 (PH3.0) framework and the ongoing work of the National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities (NPA), an initiative of the Office of Minority Health within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Taken together, these resources offer a solution that is as unique as the crisis itself.