As part of its efforts to reduce health disparities, and in keeping with the Healthy People 2010 goals for arthritis and health communications, the NIAMS has established the Health Partnership Program (HPP). This comprehensive, community-based research program combines medical care with public health education to reduce health disparities in incidence, prevalence, disease severity, and outcomes among minority communities who are disproportionately affected by arthritis, musculoskeletal, and skin diseases.
The HPP focuses on four key areas to address the multiple factors contributing to health disparities: Public health education aims to increase and expand upon awareness of the program's targeted diseases. Patient care emphasizes early detection and treatment and evaluates specialty care. Access to clinical investigations increases opportunities for patients to participate in clinical studies for treatment and prevention of chronic disabilities. Recruitment to research careers aims to increase the number of underrepresented minority investigators in biomedical research.
A major component of the HPP is the NIAMS Community Health Center, a medical care facility located in the heart of the African American and Hispanic/Latino communities in Washington, D.C. Through the health center, local communities have access to medical specialists, health information, and clinical studies for the prevention and treatment of disease. The HPP is a collaborative effort of the NIAMS and community leaders who help to ensure that the program is tailored to meet the communities' needs.
Presenters will share experiences in forming the initial phase of the HPP, which focuses on rheumatic diseases in multicultural communities in the Washington, D.C. area.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to: 1. Describe an innovative community-based research model aimed at reducing health disparitities in rheumatic diseases among multicultural communities. 2. Discuss the process, advantages, and challenges of engaging community members in a research intervention. 3. Define key factors for delivering a health education/health promotion program in a multicultural urban community setting.
Keywords: Chronic Diseases, Community Collaboration
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.