Blogs

FDA’s Office of Minority Health (OMH) is committed to the HHS mission of advancing health equity, and our office works year-round to advance FDA’s message of ensuring the safety and efficacy of our nation’s food supply and medical products to all communities, but with a focus on minority groups. The first HHS Office of Minority Health was established nearly three decades ago and FDA’s own office came into being in 2010.

Each April we observe National Minority Health Month. This year’s theme was, Bridging Health Equity Across Communities. This theme acknowledges the important role that social determinants of health play in individual and community well-being. It also evokes action and activitiy around health equity. For it is not enough for us to simply observe National Minority Health Month and share statistics on long-standing health and health care disparities. We should strive to move the needle by reducing these disparities and improving health care quality and outcomes for all. As this National Minority Health Month, comes to a close, I’m hoping each of us can take a moment and consider the following question:

Greek mythology includes the fable of Gordius and his infamous knot. After ascending to the throne of Phrygia, Gordius dedicated his ox-cart to Zeus by tethering it to a post using an intricate knot. An oracle declared that the man who successfully unraveled the complex knot would become the next king of Asia. Countless prospects tried but failed to unravel the entwined mass, which was comprised of several tightly entangled knots that were seemingly impossible to loosen.

“One of the strategies that’s really important is for the communities to be engaged in a meaningful respectful way. The community needs to see the translation of what they want in the work that’s being done.” - Cheryl Boyce, former Executive Director of the Ohio Commission on Minority Health

“Without health and long life, all else fails.” Dr. Booker T. Washington wrote these words in a letter to leading African American newspapers in April 1915, proposing the observance of “National Negro Health Week.” This proposition became the foundation for National Minority Health Month, observed every April in the United States.

National Minority Health Month (NMHM) is observed annually in April. The HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) is the Federal planning lead and collaborates with partners across the country. The theme for 2017, Bridging Health Equity Across Communities, emphasizes the collaborative, community-level work being done across the nation to help achieve health equity.

Achieving a nation free of disparities in health and health care extends beyond the walls of federal offices. As we deepen our reach into this current era of public health, we step into an age of a greater understanding of the factors upon which better health is built—the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live and age. This knowledge underscores our goal in building stronger relationships and alliances that achieve better health outcomes for all communities by bolstering the efforts of our partners.

Many people are familiar with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s 1968 assessment that "of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhuman." Equally important and less cited is the solution King offered in the sentence that followed: "I see no alternative to direct action and creative nonviolence to raise the conscience of the nation."

Fifteen. That is the number of major family holidays – Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and Easter – that have passed since my father died from colon cancer in June 2013. Although he was an intelligent, engaging physician, a common enemy, fear, made him wait until it was too late to get a screening exam. He lost his fight against this disease, despite a significant support system and compassionate, expert care from many of the finest health care institutions in the country. The ripple effect caused by the loss of his energy, enthusiasm, and productivity continues to be felt in my family and in his community.

Every March during Women’s History Month, the HHS Office of Minority Health celebrates the extraordinary lives and contributions of great American women who have worked to improve the health and health care of racial and ethnic minority populations. As a woman and a professional who has spent more than three decades dedicated to expanding access to quality health care for vulnerable populations, I have always been inspired by the trailblazing women who forged a path for future generations through their hard work, courage and commitment to improving the lives of others.

I never had health problems when I was growing up. I played sports in high school and competitive intramural volleyball in college. I was active and fit. But then one night in October 2010, I began to experience trouble breathing. My then-husband took me to the emergency room where the doctor said my lungs were inflamed and sent me home. The next day, I went to another ER where the doctor determined that my heart was enlarged and sent me to a cardiologist who confirmed the condition.

Most people are aware of the Oscar nominated film Hidden Figures – the story chronicling the team of African American women mathematicians who played a crucial role at NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program. Their story is one of determination and achievement despite hurdles intended to block their progress. Their triumph is a symbol of African American progress in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), a story that resonates more than 50 years later during Black History Month.

Summary: Springboard Beyond Cancer helps empower cancer survivors to play a key role in managing their own health.

Summary: The Affordable Care Act is great for those of us who are working in the gig economy or trying to grow our own business, big or small.

Great philosophers have debated the meaning of life for centuries. Throughout the discourse on life’s meaning and how to live a life of purpose, you’ll find one central theme: service. That is, the joy we seek in everyday living is found in helping others. When we give of ourselves – our time, our efforts, our hearts, and our minds – we have nothing to lose and everything to gain.