The American Journal of Public of Health (AJPH) recognizes the importance of National Minority Mental Health Month.
In this special supplement funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), AJPH presents research and perspectives focused on expanding methodological approaches to monitor and reduce health disparities for minority populations.
Although health disparities have been documented for years there has not been a standard common language or terminology across agencies or among scientists. The NIMHD needs to be commended for proposing clear definitions for minority health and health disparities to be used in this area of research. Specifically, NIMHD calls for a distinction between minority health and health disparities fields of study. It is proposed that minority health could be examined and improved in the absence of health disparities. The definition for health disparities research goes beyond health differences adversely affecting disadvantages populations, to propose specific outcomes. The outcomes are
- higher incidence or prevalence,
- premature or excessive mortality,
- greater global burden of disease,
- poorer health behaviors and clinical outcomes related to the previous outcomes, and
- worse outcomes on validated self-reported measures reflecting daily functioning of symptoms.
Population of focus: diverse populations
Links to resource:
- Read the full AJPH supplement toward a Unified Research Approach for Minority Health and Health Disparities.
- Learn more about the American Journal of Public of Health.
- Learn more about the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities.
- Learn about National Minority Mental Health Month.
- View the entire resource library on Minority Health and Health Disparities Research.
Date: 2019