Social Determinants of Health

National Organizations


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Office of Minority Health (OMH)
www.cdc.gov/omhd/default.htm

Description: The OMH promotes health and quality of life by preventing and controlling the disproportionate burden of disease, injury and disability among racial and ethnic minority populations. The OMH coordinates White House Executive Orders and HHS Departmental Initiatives, supports Cooperative Agreements for research and professional development, reports on the health status of racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. and initiates strategic partnerships with governmental, national and regional organizations.

Information Available: Minority health calendar, Cooperative Agreements, reports, publications, minority health resources, data and statistics for selected racial and ethnic minority populations, training opportunities and fact sheets.


MEDLINEplus-Health Information

Description: MEDLINEplus, sponsored by the National Library of Medicine, includes a vast amount of health information on over 600 diseases and conditions. The site offers authoritative, up to date and appropriate health information for both health professionals and consumers.

African American Health
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/africanamericanhealth.html

Asian American Health
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/asianamericanhealth.html

Gay and Lesbian Health
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/gaylesbianhealth.html

Hispanic American Health
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hispanicamericanhealth.html

Native American Health
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/nativeamericanhealth.html

Information Available: Latest news, publications from the National Institutes of Health, directories, law and policy, nutrition, general overviews, prevention and screening, research, related conditions and aspects, genetics, organizations, statistics, specific populations, other foreign language material and links to related MEDLINEplus topics.


U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health (OMH) Resource Center
www.omhrc.gov

Description: The OMH Resource Center serves as an information and referral service on minority health issues for professionals, community groups, consumers and students. It distributes scientifically valid and culturally competent health information, encourages public participation in HHS programs and assists in conducting health campaigns.

Information Available: Data, statistics, Federal clearinghouses, technical assistance services, health links, publications, conferences, latest news, initiatives, programs, funding opportunities, health disparity information and a resource center.


Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC), Racial/Ethnic Disparities
www.hschange.org/index.cgi?topic=topic20

Description: The HSC, a policy research organization located in Washington, D.C., designs and conducts studies focused on the U.S. health care system to inform the thinking and decisions of policy makers in government and private industry. In addition to this applied use, HSC studies contribute more broadly to the body of health care policy research that enables decision makers to understand change and the national and local market forces driving that change.

Information Available: Issue briefs, community reports, data bulletins, tracking reports, journal articles, Community Tracking Study Data, recent news, conferences and resource links.


The DRA Project

http://www.altfutures.com/draproject/

Description: The Disparity Reducing Advances Project (the DRA Project) is a multi-year, multi-stakeholder project developed by the Institute for Alternative Futures (IAF) to identify the most promising advances for bringing health gains to the poor and underserved and accelerating the development and deployment of these advances to reduce disparities. The DRA Project works to overcome health disparities by targeting the advances with the highest potential for reducing health disparities and then creating a network of organizations committed to accelerating the development and deployment of those advances. The network will include health care systems and local providers, major Federal government agencies, technology developers, and consumer and patient organizations.

Information Available: Reports and publications; briefings; news; newsletters; networking and collaborative opportunities.


Grantmakers in Health

http://www.gih.org/

Description: Grantmakers In Health (GIH) is a nonprofit, educational organization dedicated to helping foundations and corporate giving programs improve the health of all people. Its mission is to foster communication and collaboration among grantmakers and others, and to help strengthen the grantmaking community's knowledge, skills, and effectiveness. Formally launched in 1982, GIH is known today as the professional home for health grantmakers, and a resource for grantmakers and others seeking expertise and information on the field of health philanthropy.

Information Available: See “Focus on the Issues” toolbar: Disparities or Social Determinants of Health – Publications; webinars and audioconferences; resources; trainings and programs.


Health Disparities Collaboratives
www.healthdisparities.net/hdc/html/home.aspx

Description: The Health Disparities Collaboratives were developed to change primary health care practices in order to improve the health care provided to everyone and to eliminate health disparities. In 1998, the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC), part of the Department of Health and Human Services, funded collaboratives focused on primary care in each of five regional clusters. Since then the BPHC has funded collaboratives targeting oral health, migrant farm worker health care, homeless health care, diabetes, asthma, depression, cardiovascular disease, cancer and prevention.

Information Available: Resources for clinicians, patients and communities; step-by-step guides; tool kits; links to the various health collaboratives and their measures; a chronic care model; evidence-based clinical practice guidelines; trainings and events.


The Commonwealth Fund, Underserved Populations
www.commonwealthfund.org/topics/topics.htm?attrib_id=12024&portal=yes

Description: Throughout its history, The Commonwealth Fund has attempted to address the disparities in health that characterize segments of the U.S. population. The Fund's program on Quality of Care for Underserved Populations is committed to assessing the impact of health system changes on the health of minority Americans, the quality of care they receive, their communities and the institutions that serve them.

Information Available: Fund publications and journal articles, articles published in professional literature and publications from other sources.


The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, Minority Health
www.kff.org/minorityhealth/index.cfm

Description: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, an independent philanthropy, focuses on the major health care issues facing the nation. The Foundation is an independent voice and source of facts and analysis for policymakers, the media, the health care community and the general public.

Information Available: Fact sheets, statistics, publications, state-by-state data on minority health, surveys, web casts on minority health, forums, reports, leadership development and policy programs.


African American Health Care and Medical Information, BlackHealthCare.com
www.blackhealthcare.com

Description: Blackhealthcare.com, a culturally oriented and ethnically focused comprehensive internet-based health and medical information provider, has dedicated itself to addressing the special health problems of African-Americans.

Information Available: Community issues, medical directories, health disparities, references, a chronic disease center (i.e. diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, AIDS, asthma and sickle cell anemia), community-based programs, healthy lifestyles, disease dictionary, articles, a smoking center, resources and information concerning the Closing the Gap Initiatives.


Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF)
http://www.apiahf.org/

Description: APIAHF promotes policy, program and research efforts for the improvement of health status of all Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. The Health Forum envisions a multicultural society where the Asian and Pacific Islander communities are included and represented in all health, political, social and economic arenas.

Information Available: Policy advocacy, media advisories, news alerts, Health Information Network, Center for Census Information and Services, HIV capacity-building assistance, the Asian & Pacific Islander (API) Institute on Domestic Violence, the API Tobacco Education Network, the API National Cancer Survivors Network, fact sheets, bibliographies, newsletters, testimonies, events and discussion lists.


Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA)
www.glma.org

Description: GLMA works to end homophobia in health care and make the health care environment a place of empathy, justice and equity for all people. GLMA focuses on increasing the visibility of the specific health concerns of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) patients and offers programs and services that provide and advocate for the LGBT community.

Information Available: Providers' Advocacy Network, Lesbian Health Fund, Online Health Care Referrals Program, Medical Expertise Retention Program, clinical information, health topics (i.e. Hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, etc.), publications, Healthy People 2010 Companion Document for LGBT Health, conferences, news, public policy issues and links to other resources.


National Alliance for Hispanic Health (Alliance)
www.hispanichealth.org

Description: The Alliance, the Nation's oldest and largest network of Hispanic health and human services providers, functions as the nation's action forum for Hispanic health. The programs of the Alliance work to inform and mobilize consumers, support providers in the delivery of quality care, promote appropriate use of technology, improve the science base for accurate decision making and promote philanthropy.

Information Available: Latest news, health facts, helplines and hotlines, funding opportunities, resources, publications, events, a primer for cultural proficiency and relevant topic briefs.


National Indian Health Board (NIHB)
www.nihb.org/index.php

Description: The NIHB represents Tribal Governments operating their own health care delivery systems through contracting and compacting, as well as those receiving health care directly from the Indian Health Service (IHS). The NIHB conducts research, policy analysis, program assessment and development, national and regional meeting planning, training, technical assistance and project management.

Information Available: Specific Native American health issues, resources, legislative alerts, NIHB Initiatives, conferences, newsletters, events, reports and additional links.


Missouri Resources


Cover Missouri

http://www.covermissouri.org/

Description: Cover Missouri is a project of the Missouri Foundation for Health to develop, publish, and promote specific policy recommendations to increase the number of Missourians with health coverage. The policy options will incorporate community input, previous Foundation research, and economic analysis by state and national experts.

Information Available: News; bulletins; reports and publications.

 

International Organizations


World Health Organization, Commission on Social Determinants of Health

http://www.who.int/social_determinants/en/

Description: The Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH) was established to support countries and global health partners to address the social factors leading to ill health and inequities. It drew the attention of society to the social determinants of health that are known to be among the worst causes of poor health and inequalities between and within countries.

Information Available: Reports and publications, international data on health inequity, WHO implementation and recommendations.


Reports and Publications


Reports of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

http://www.rwjf.org/search/gsa/search.jsp?q=social+determinants&x=0&y=0&src=sw

Description: The mission of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation seeks to improve the health and health care of all Americans. The efforts of the organization focus on improving both the health of everyone in America and their health care through leveraging private funds for the public’s good. This is accomplished by building evidence and producing, synthesizing and distributing knowledge, new ideas and expertise, building and strengthening partnerships, collaborating with colleagues, and securing the sustained commitment of other funders and advocates to improve the health and health care of all Americans.

Information Available: Series of publications, briefs, and resources related to social determinants of health.


Health Disparities Reports, Missouri Foundation For Health

http://www.mffh.org/policy_healthdisp.html

Description: In an effort to document health disparities among ethnic and racial groups, the Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) engaged the Bureau of Health Informatics at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to assemble data on Missouri's African American and Hispanic populations. The 2009 reports present findings on health disparities between Missouri's minority and white populations based on key health indicators and provide an update to the 2004 and 2005 baseline reports. Where possible, these reports make comparisons between the rates and ratios of today and those of five years ago to illustrate where progress has been made and what challenges may lie ahead.

Information available: Health Disparities Reports (African American Data Book; Hispanic Data Book)


Promoting Health Equity: A Resource To Help Communities Address Social Determinants of Health (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dach/chaps/pdf/SDOHworkbook.pdf

This workbook was created to encourage and support the development of new and the expansion of existing initiatives and partnerships to address social determinants of health. The material is drawn from a forum sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in October 2003 that included representatives from community organizations, academic settings, and public health practice. The content builds on existing resources and highlights lessons learned by communities, as well as includes information and tools that can be used in the development, implementation, and evaluation of interventions that address social determinants of health.

Document is published in partnership with the Social Determinants of Health Work Group at the CDC in partnership with L Brennan L, E Baker, and M Metzler.

Date: 2008

 

Effective Community Programs to Fight Health Disparities

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dach/chaps/pdf/SDOHworkbook.pdf

This workbook was created to encourage and support the development of new and the expansion of existing initiatives and partnerships to address social determinants of health. The material is drawn from a forum sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in October 2003 that included representatives from community organizations, academic settings, and public health practice. The content builds on existing resources and highlights lessons learned by communities, as well as includes information and tools that can be used in the development, implementation, and evaluation of interventions that address social determinants of health.

Document is published in partnership with the Social Determinants of Health Work Group at the CDC in partnership with L Brennan L, E Baker, and M Metzler.

Date: 2008

MFH provides the Health Resource Directory as a resource for the community. The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by MFH of the linked websites, or the information, products or services contained therein.