Eliminating Health Disparities: Beyond Facts and Figures

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Eliminating Health Disparities Beyond Facts and
Figures

• Dr. Stuart Brown, Director
• Georgia Division of Public Health

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Key Points

• What we know
• What we need to know
• Public Healths role in prevention

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What We Know
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Infant Mortality Rate By Race Ethnicity, GA,
1994-2004
Percent of Live Birth Pregnancies
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Low Birth Rate (5.5 lbs), by Race Ethnicity,
GA, 1994-2004
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Teen Pregnancy by Race Ethnicity, (15-17yr),
GA, 1994-2004
Pregnancy Rates per 1,000 15-17 year olds
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Repeat Teen Pregnancies, By Race Ethnicity,
GA, 1994-2004
Percent Repeat Pregnancies
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HIV/AIDS Mortality, By Race Ethnicity, GA,
1994-2005
Age-Adjusted to the 2000 Standard Million.
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Homicide Rates By Race Ethnicity, GA 1994-2004
Age-Adjusted to the 2000 Standard Million.
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Premature Life Lost Cancer Rates By Race,
Ethnicity Rural-NonRural, 1994-2003, GA
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Infant Death Rates By Race, Ethnicity
Rural-NonRural, 1994-2003, Georgia
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Pregnancy Rates Ages 15-17, by Race, Ethnicity
and Rural-NonRural, 1994-2003, Georgia
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What We Need to Know
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We Need Qualitative

• Stories behind the trends

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We Need Community Information

• Community
• Strengths
• Issues
• Needs

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We Need Performance Measures

• Whats working
• Whats not
• Local assessment

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Public Healths Prevention Role

• Protect health
• Improve healthy behaviors
• Improve birth outcomes

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We Must Protect Health
Preparedness Ensure that every person is
prepared for a catastrophic event
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We Need Healthy Behaviors
Healthy lifestyles (Individual Decisions) Healthy
choices (Community Support)
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We Must Improve Birth Outcomes

• Reduce infant death, disabilities and abuse
• Prevent early births
• Detect problems early
• Support high-risk families

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Summary
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What We Know

• Gaps in mortality and morbidity
• Progress in some places
• Disparities have many factors a system approach
  is essential

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We Need

• Stories behind the data
• Information about community needs, issues and
  strengths
• Effect of the work
• Economic value of the work
• Partnerships are crucial

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Only Then

• Will we make a difference
• The difference
• Improved Health
• Reduced Disparities