Health disparities are defined as the difference in the burden of diseases and health status that exist among specific population groups in the U. S.  They are closely linked with social, economic and environmental conditions.  Health disparities may affect certain populations based on gender, age, ethnicity, socio-economic status, geography, sexual orientation, disability or special health care needs.  Health disparities occur among groups that have persistently experienced historical trauma, and discrimination.  These groups experience worse health or greater health risks than other populations.

The Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative grant program was created by the 2001 Minnesota Legislature in Minnesota Statute 145.928.  This competitive grant program The is administered by the Minnesota Department of Health’s Office of Minority and Multicultural Health and provides funds to close the gap in the health status of African Americans/Africans, American Indians, Asian Americans, and Hispanics/Latinos in Minnesota as compared to Whites in the following priority health areas:

• Breast and cervical cancer screening

• Diabetes

• Heart disease and stroke

• HIV/AIDS and sexually-transmitted diseases

• Immunizations for adults and children

• Infant mortality

• Teen pregnancy prevention

• Unintentional injury and violence

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) also addresses community members’ concerns regarding disparities in access to and outcomes of its programs and services.  The Community/DHS Disparities Reduction Advisory Committee is a collaborative effort that meets monthly to provide DHS recommendations to reduce disparities in access and outcomes for cultural and ethnic communities supported by the agency. 

Three priorities have been identified and guide the work of the agency in collaboration with community members:

1.  Increase access to health services;

2.  Define culturally competent health care organization; and

3.  Ensure that requests for proposals are accessible to smaller, culturally-specific organizations.

Health reform improves access to affordable health care and supports prevention.  Health reform also:

• sets standards for collecting data,
• coordinates the analysis of data on health disparities, and
• ensures that health programs collect data (including data on race, ethnicity, primary language, and health literacy) on applicants and beneficiaries, with proper consent.

Any effort to reduce health disparities must first identify where gaps exist.  In our current health care system, data collection is fragmented; information on race, ethnicity, or primary language is not always collected; and data is often not readily available to policy makers and the public.

Health reform would make sure that qualified health plans in an Exchange provide culturally and linguistically appropriate communication and health services.  There will also be an emphasis on training health professionals to improve their cultural competence.