6th Annual Disparities in Health in America Workshop

6th Annual Disparities in Health in America Workshop:
Celebrating Social Entrepreneurs
Working Towards Social Justice

June 21 - 27, 2008

Twenty-five years of research demonstrate that there are wide disparities in health throughout America. Unfortunately, the American Medical Association has recently reported that over the last two decades there has been very little improvement in the gap that continues to exist. Health disparities are differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden of diseases and other adverse health conditions that exi.st when specific population subgroups are compared. It is now known that the distribution of health is not at random, but that health is systematically distributed according to different levels of social advantage. It is also becoming increasing apparent that the way we have address health and health disparities in the 20th century did not work nor will it work in the 21st Century in addressing this issue. This workshop examines the complexity of this issue. It is not just an issue of access or an academic exercise in being trained in the right methodology. It is a blend of social and societal factors that are fundamental in creating disparities in health. In addition to examining these factors, the workshop will focus on the formulation of public policy objectives to reduce and ultimately eliminate health disparities.

The following is some of the distinguished speakers who have volunteered their time to teach in this workshop. It is a list of whose who whose expertise you will rarely see on the same program. In addition, this year we will also again highlight the work of Kellogg Health Disparities Scholars and some of the alumni, celebrating a decade of social entrepreneurs working toward social justice.

Lovell A. Jones, PhD, Director, Center for Research on Minority Health, Department of Health Disparities Research, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

Barbara K. Krimgold, Director, Scholars in Health Disparities Program Kellogg Fellows in Health Policy Research Program, Center for the Advancement of Health, Washington DC