NIH Summit: The Science of Eliminating Health Disparities

Posted by on September 1, 2008

NIH Summit: The Science of Eliminating Health Disparities

December 16-18, 2008
National Harbor, MD

http://www.blsmeetings.net/2008healthdisparitiessummit/index.cfm

Advances in science, medicine, and technology have the potential to improve health, but large segments of populations in the United States and globally continue to suffer a disproportionate burden of premature death, disability, and disease. There is a growing body of evidence that points to a complex interaction of factors that may contribute to health disparities. These factors include biology, socioeconomics, discrimination, politics, environment, culture, and lack of access to healthcare. At the National Institutes of Health we are investing in research to understand health disparities, including how these and other factors relate to produce poor health outcomes. Populations that experience health disparities and are more likely to suffer from diseases and conditions such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, and obesity include African Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Hispanics, Pacific Islanders (including Native Hawaiians), and individuals of all races/ethnicities living in poor and medically underserved communities such as rural areas.

Over the past 7 years, the NIH has placed increased emphasis on examining the differences in health among populations across diseases through the application of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research approaches.