Media Release

CONTACT: Ana Novais 222-5117 Chief, Office of Minority Health
FOR: Immediate Release
DATE: April 1, 2005

April is Minority Health and Health Disparities Month;
RI Health Department Joins Community Agencies in Calendar of Events

Did you know that minorities suffer disproportionately from cancer, HIV, diabetes, heart disease and other life threatening illnesses compared to their non-minority counterparts? The recently published RI Minority Health Fact Sheets tells us a story that needs attention. According to US Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona, "It is a national problem that demands a national solution."

During April, many states and organizations are celebrating National Minority Health and Health Disparities Month. The RI Department of Health (HEALTH) along with key community-based organizations and agencies join in the celebration. In its ninth year of implementation, this statewide, month long calendar of public health education and promotion efforts serves as the launching pad for initiatives throughout the whole year. Each of these events demonstrates the local acknowledgement of racial and ethnic health disparities and the efforts and commitment of local organizations to eliminate the effect of health gaps on community populations.

"Rhode Island’s population has changed in recent years--challenging the way we work in public health," said David R. Gifford, MD, MPH, Acting Director of Health. "Our mission as a public health agency is to focus on the entire population without losing sight of the individual. Clearly we need to ‘do public health better’ by working to eliminate health disparities among racial and ethnic minority populations on key measures of health, mortality, behavioral risks and access to health care in RI. Minority Health and Health Disparities Month helps to keep us and our community partners moving in the right direction."

For a complete calendar of activities during Minority Health Month in RI go to HEALTH’s webpage. For more information on leading health indicators by race and ethnicity in RI go to http://www.health.ri.gov/chic/healthypeople/hri2010re.pdf.