National Minority Health Month 2024 Toolkit​

Use the resources in this year’s toolkit to spread the word about National Minority Health Month with your networks. Participate in conversations about health equity on social media by tagging @MinorityHealth on X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram and using the hashtags, #SourceForBetterHealth, #MinorityHealth, and #NMHM24.

X (Twitter) ​

We are pleased to celebrate National Minority Health Month with @MinorityHealth and promote this year’s theme, Be the Source for Better Health: Improving Health Outcomes Through Our Cultures, Communities, and Connections. Learn more: https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/national-minority-health-month-2024 #SourceForBetterHealth​

Join us and @MinorityHealth this #NMHM24 and learn how we can Be the #SourceforBetterHealth when we are responsive to diverse cultural health beliefs and practices and consider how SDOH impact the communities we serve: https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/national-minority-health-month-2024​

This #NMHM24 @MinorityHealth encourages everyone to Be the #SourceForBetterHealth for racial and ethnic minority populations. Read how addressing social determinants of health can help eliminate health disparities: https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/national-minority-health-month-2024​

Facebook

We are pleased to celebrate National Minority Health Month with the HHS Office of Minority Health and promote this year’s theme, Be the Source for Better Health: Improving Health Outcomes Through Our Cultures, Communities, and Connections. Learn more about the theme: https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/national-minority-health-month-2024 #SourceForBetterHealth #NMHM24​

Join us and the HHS Office of Minority Health this National Minority Health Month and learn how we can Be the #SourceforBetterHealth when we are responsive to diverse cultural health beliefs and practices and consider how social determinants of health impact the communities we serve: https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/national-minority-health-month-2024 #NMHM24​

This National Minority Health Month the HHS Office of Minority Health encourages everyone to Be the #SourceForBetterHealth for racial and ethnic minority populations. Read how addressing social determinants of health can help eliminate health disparities and learn how you can take action in your community: https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/national-minority-health-month-2024 #NMHM24​​

Instagram

We are pleased to celebrate National Minority Health Month with @minorityhealth and promote this year’s theme, Be the Source for Better Health: Improving Health Outcomes Through Our Cultures, Communities, and Connections. Learn more about the theme: https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/national-minority-health-month-2024 #SourceForBetterHealth #NMHM24 #MinorityHealth #SDOH #HealthEquity​

Join us and @minorityhealth this #NMHM24 and learn how we can Be the #SourceforBetterHealth when we are responsive to diverse cultural health beliefs and practices and consider how social determinants of health impact the communities we serve: https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/national-minority-health-month-2024 #MinorityHealth #SDOH #HealthEquity​

This #NMHM24 @minorityhealth encourages everyone to Be the #SourceForBetterHealth for racial and ethnic minority populations. Read how addressing social determinants of health can help eliminate health disparities and learn how you can take action in your community: https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/national-minority-health-month-2024 #MinorityHealth #SDOH #HealthEquity​

April is National Minority Health Month!​

This annual observance builds awareness about the health disparities that persist among racial and ethnic minority and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations and encourages us to take action to end these inequities.​

Each year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) designates a theme for National Minority Health Month. The theme for 2024, Be the Source for Better Health: Improving Health Outcomes Through Our Cultures, Communities, and Connections, is about understanding how the unique environments, cultures, histories, and circumstances (known as social determinants of health, or SDOH) of racial and ethnic minority and AI/AN populations impact their overall health.​

Non-medical factors like poverty, limited access to health care, lack of education, and racism are all examples of SDOH that contribute to health disparities and inequities. SDOH impact nearly everyone in one way or another, and simply promoting healthy choices won’t eliminate health disparities. Considering the conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age is fundamental to improving health and reducing longstanding disparities affecting racial and ethnic minority and AI/AN populations.​

Visit the National Minority Health Month 2024 website to find resources, social media messages, graphics, and information on how to Be the Source for Better Health.​

About National Minority Health Month

April is National Minority Health Month! This annual observance builds awareness about the health disparities that persist among racial and ethnic minority and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations and encourages everyone to take action to end these inequities.​

The foundation for National Minority Health Month was laid by educator, author, and civil rights leader Booker T. Washington, who, in 1915, established National Negro Health Week (NNHW). Visit Healthy People 2030 to learn about the latest iteration of the Healthy People framework.​

Each year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) designates a theme for National Minority Health Month. The theme for 2024 is Be the Source for Better Health: Improving Health Outcomes Through Our Cultures, Communities, and Connections.​

About National Minority Health Month 2024

This year’s theme, Be the Source for Better Health: Improving Health Outcomes Through Our Cultures, Communities, and Connections, is about understanding how the unique environments, cultures, histories, and circumstances (known as social determinants of health, or SDOH) of racial and ethnic minority and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations impact their overall health.​

SDOH impact nearly everyone in one way or another, and simply promoting healthy choices won’t eliminate health disparities. Non-medical factors like poverty, limited access to health care, lack of education, and racism are all examples of individual SDOH that contribute to health disparities and inequities.​

SDOH can be grouped into five domains:​

  1. Economic Stability​
  2. Education Access and Quality​
  3. Health Care Access and Quality​
  4. Neighborhood and Built Environment​
  5. Social and Community Context​

The relationship between SDOH and health disparities and inequities are complex and multilayered. Many health disparities affecting racial and ethnic minority and AI/AN people are often the result of or exacerbated by multiple SDOH factors. By addressing SDOH through a comprehensive approach, we can work to advance health equity and reduce health disparities among vulnerable populations.​

Take Action

Public health and community-based organizations can take steps to start improving the health of their communities by addressing SDOH. Organizations can leverage these steps, adapted from guidance provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to Be the Source for Better Health in your communities:​

Convene​

Bring together members of your community and trusted organizations to identify concerns specific to your community.​

Consider​

Collect and utilize multiple sources of data and information, including public health data, to help develop strategies that can benefit you and your community.​

Commit​

Committing to providing Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) is one way to help eliminate health inequities. Effective, equitable, and respectful care and services that are responsive to diverse cultural health beliefs and practices, preferred languages, economic and environmental circumstances, and health literacy levels are essential to close the gap in health outcomes for racial and ethnic minority populations.​

Collaborate​

Work with trusted partners to address the impact of SDOH on vulnerable populations and to find innovative solutions that can be put into action. Mobilize partners to develop and implement strategies addressing health disparities and long-standing inequities.​

Participate in conversations about health equity on social media by tagging @MinorityHealth on X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram and using the hashtags, #SourceForBetterHealth, #MinorityHealth, and #NMHM24.​