Research Corner

Ethnic Differences in Mental Illness and Mental Health Service Use among Black Fathers Doyle, O.; Joe, S.; Caldwell, C. H. American Journal of Public Health, v. 102, Supplement 2 (May), p. s222-s231, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300446

Gathering Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Data in Health IT: Better Information Can Help Close Disparities Gap / Baker, K. -- Washington, DC: Center for American Progress, 2012 / 4 p.
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2012/02/pdf/baker_lgbt_fact_sheet.html

Guidelines for Psychological Practice With Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients / American Psychological Association (APA). American Psychologist, v. 67, #1 (January), p. 10-42, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0024659

Hispanic Lesbians and Bisexual Women at Heightened Risk or Health Disparities / Kim, H. J.; Fredriksen-Goldsen, K. I. American Journal of Public Health, v. 102, #1 (January), p. e9-e15, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300378

The Influence of Implicit Bias on Treatment Recommendations for 4 Common Pediatric Conditions: Pain, Urinary Tract Infection, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Asthma / Sabin, J. A.; Greenwald, A. G. American Journal of Public Health, v. 102, #5 (May), p. 988-995, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300621

Medication Adherence among Latino and Non-latino White Children with Asthma / McQuaid, E. L.; Everhart, R. S.; Seifer, R.; Kopel, S. J.; Mitchell, D. K., et al. Pediatrics, v. 129, #6 (June), p. e1404-e1410, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1542/peds.2011-1391

Modeling the Impact of Social Discrimination and Financial Hardship on the Sexual Risk of HIV among Latino and Black men who Have Sex with Men / Ayala, G.; Bingham, T.; Kim, J.; Wheeler, D. P.; Millet, G. A. American Journal of Public Health, v. 102, Supplement 2 (May), p. s242-s249, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300641

The Relationship Between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, and Lung Disorders in Northern Plains and Southwest American Indians / Sprague, D.; Bogart, A.; Manson, S.; Buchwald, D.; Goldberg, J. / American Indian Services Utilization, Psychiatric, Epidemiology, Risk and Protective Factors Project (AI-SUPERPFP). Ethnicity & Health, v. 15, #6 (December) p. 569-579, 2011.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13557858.2010.500017

Religious Climate and Health Risk Behaviors in Sexual Minority Youths: A Population-based Study / Hatzenbueler, M. L.; Pachankis, J. E.; Wolff, J. American Journal of Public Health, v. 102, #4 (April), p. 657-663, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300517

Taking It Like a Man: Masculine Role Norms as Moderators of the Racial Discrimination-Depressive Symptoms Association among African American Men / Hammond, W. P. American Journal of Public Health, v. 102, Supplement 2 (May), p. s232-s241, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300485

Trying to Breathe Easy / Moscou, S. Minority Nurse, (Spring), p. 14-16, 2012.
http://www.minoritynurse.com/trying-breathe-easy

Young Native American Men and their Intention to use Family Planning Services / Rink, E.; Fourstar, K.; Elk, J. M.; Dick, R., et al. American Journal of Men's Health, v. 6, #4 (July), p. 324-330, 2012.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1557988312439226

Men's Health Week June 11 – 17, 2012

June is Men's Health Week
Men's Health Week is about bringing national attention to the state of men's health in order to "heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys."

Celebrated during the month of June (Men's Health Month) and leading up to Father's Day, the week allows health care providers, public policy makers, media, family and friends to encourage men and boys to regularly participate in preventive screenings, seek regular medical advice and receive early treatment for disease and injury.

Hospitals find success in slashing health disparities

Cultural competency training is among the efforts that boost care quality for minority patients.

According to the 2010 National Healthcare Disparities Report, only 20 percent of health care disparities have been reduced. However, a number of hospitals and health systems have implemented different methods to narrow the gap, according to a report from a coalition of health care organizations. For example, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital implemented a four-hour training program for health professionals to help address cultural, language, and literacy needs of their Hispanic patients.

Emilio Carrillo, vice president for community health at NewYork-Presbyterian, said "The cultural competency training provides background information in terms of the various ethnicities and religions and groups that we see predominantly." The hospital also employed bilingual patient navigators and established seven patient-centered medical homes. As a result, the article notes that there was nearly a 10 percent drop in emergency department visits. The report cites case studies from eight other organizations working to reduce health disparities, including Baylor Health Cary System in Dallas, TX, University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, MS, and Adventist Health Care in Rockville, MD. The article notes that more than three-quarters of hospitals collect data on patients' race and other demographic factors, such as language and disability. "It's important to recognize that collecting data on race, ethnicity, language, disability, and gender is foundational to addressing disparities and to doing interventions to reduce them," said Romana Hasnain-Wynia, research associate professor at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Institute for Healthcare Studies in Chicago.

Richard de Filippi, chair of the American Hospital Association's Equity of Care Committee, emphasized that hospitals focused on data collection, cultural competency training, including minorities in leadership positions, and patient-centered care inevitably will lower health care disparities (O'Reilly, 03/16).

Click here to learn more

Getting a doctor's appointment tougher on Medicaid

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Americans on Medicaid have a harder time getting a prompt doctor's appointment, which may help explain why some end up going to the ER, a new study finds.
The problem is likely to grow, researchers say, as more people go on Medicaid as part of national healthcare reform. So simply expanding coverage may not be enough to improve low-income Americans' access to primary care.

"Insurance coverage does not necessarily mean better access," said senior researcher Dr. Adit A. Ginde, of the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

The study found that of more than 230,000 Americans surveyed over a decade, Medicaid recipients had more problems getting an appointment with a primary care doctor.

Just over 16 percent reported at least one "barrier" -- like having to wait too long for an appointment, limited health clinic hours, or even being unable to get someone on the phone at the doctor's office. That compared with 9 percent of survey respondents who had private insurance. To learn more click here.

Youth Health Festival!

Attend the Youth Health Festival!Saturday, April 21, 2012 -
Health Equity Day of Action

WHAT: Youth Health Festival: Young. Healthy. YOUnited!
WHEN: Saturday, April 21, 2012, 12 noon to 4 pm
WHERE: Columbia Heights Educational Campus, 3101 16th Street, NW,
Washington, D.C. 20010 **FREE PARKING *** Learn more

National Women's Health Week

National Women's Health Week - Be the Brightest GEM - Health Fair and Community Fun Day featuring the InterActive Walk-through AmeriHeart on May 19, 2012 from Noon to 4 PM at George Wythe HS . Please help us spread the word and collect a host of vendors our visitors can interact with as they learn to lead healthier lives. See attached Flyer and Brochure.

Powerful Partnerships - A Handbook for Families and Providers Working Together to Improve Care

This guide is intended to help both family members and healthcare professionals who are working together to improve care for children with special healthcare needs. Joining together in multi-disciplinary teams, family members and providers are increasingly working as equal partners to improve care. Collaborating as equals may be new for family members and providers. This guide includes information and guidance on how to get the most out of this potentially powerful partnership.

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