Minority Health Resources

Online Databases | Websites | Selected Books

Websites

Fact sheets and other medical information

Pittsburgh Region

Allegheny County Health Department
http://www.achd.net/
Includes Community Health Profiles with minority information.

UPMC Cancer Centers: Early Detection and Prevention Services: African American Cancer Program
http://www.upmccancercenters.com/prevention/
The African American Cancer Program focuses on western Pennsylvania's African American population, whose cancer education, diagnostic and treatment needs often go undetected or unaddressed for a variety of socioeconomic reasons. UPMC Cancer Centers is addressing the problems of higher cancer morbidity and morality in the regional African American population through efforts to increase awareness of cancer prevention and early detection strategies.

Center for Minority Health
http://www.cmh.pitt.edu/
The Center for Minority Health Network (CMHNet), in the Graduate School of Public Health, has been designed as the lead entity within the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences to coordinate the academic/ research and service activities of members of the faculty and students who deal with issues of relevance to minority health. Their mission is to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in health by 2010 and is closely tied to the Nation's prevention agenda as described in Healthy People 2010.

University Center for Social and Urban Research
http://www.ucsur.pitt.edu/
This center at the University of Pittsburgh regularly publishes studies dealing with Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Black Papers on African American Health - January 2002
http://www.ucsur.pitt.edu/BlackPaper.htm
These papers analyze current health conditions and problems of African Americans in Allegheny County and suggest some local policies and programs for improving conditions and alleviating problems.

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Department of Health
Includes a Special Report on the Health Status of Minorities in Pennsylvania

United States

American Diabetes Association: African American Program
With diabetes on the rise among African Americans, an ambitious and groundbreaking program was created to increase diabetes awareness among those most at risk.

Heart Healthy Home Cooking African American Style
On this page from the National Institutes of Health, you can download a 32 page booklet with heart healthy recipes.

Institute of Medicine: Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care
http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10260.html
This is a March 2002 report in which a panel of experts documents inequality in health care and explores how persons of color experience the health care environment. The book examines how disparities in treatment may arise in health care systems and looks at aspects of the clinical encounter that may contribute to such disparities. Published by the National Academies Press, you may read this report online.

Kaiser Family Foundation: Minority Health
http://www.kff.org/minorityhealth

Minority Health Facts by State
From the Kaiser Family Foundation's statehealthfacts.org

MedlinePlus: African American Health
Links to the latest news and studies on African American Health. From the National Library of Medicine.

Multicultural Action Center
From NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness).

National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities
http://ncmhd.nih.gov/
From the National Institutes of Health.

National Medical Association
http://www.nmanet.org/
The nation's oldest and largest professional, educational and scientific organization representing the interests of African-American physicians and promoting optimum health for African-American and medically underserved populations.

Office of Minority Health
http://www.omhrc.gov/
The Office of Minority Health (OMH) was created by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in 1985 as a result of the Report of the Secretary's Task Force on Black and Minority Health. Under the direction of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health, OMH advises the Secretary and the Office of Public Health and Science (OPHS) on public health issues affecting American Indians and Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders, Blacks/African Americans, and Hispanics/Latinos.

Closing the Health Gap
http://www.healthgap.omhrc.gov/ The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and ABC Radio Networks are working together to sponsor Closing the Health Gap, a national campaign to bring the best health information to African Americans and other communities of color, and to help consumers take charge of their health. This website offers links to further information on a variety of medical conditions and consumer topics.

Selected Books

Library resources can be found under the subject Health, and more specifically under African Americans Health And Hygiene and Hispanic Americans Health And Hygiene.

	Brock, Rovenia M. Dr. Ro's Ten Secrets to Livin' Healthy: America's Most Renowned African American Nutritionist Shows You How to Look Great, Feel Better, and Live Longer by Eating Right Dr. Ro gives an overview of minority health problems and talks about how healthy foods and lifestyles can help prevent them. 2004.
	Gavin, James R. Dr. Gavin's Health Guide for African Americans In addition to discussing genetic factors, Dr. Gavin offers suggestions on how to change your life style and improve your health. 2004.
	Gaston, Marilyn H. and Gayle K. Porter Prime Time: The African American Woman's Complete Guide To Midlife Health And Wellness Written by a physician and clinical psychologist, Prime Time is a guide to total health in middle age and a celebration of the strength, wisdom, and beauty of African American women in their second half of life. 2001.
	Reed, James High Blood Pressure: The Black Man and Woman's Guide to Living with Hypertension Hypertension is known as the "silent killer". Learn about the symptoms, prevention, risk factors, complications and treatments for hypertension. 2002.
	Smith, George E. Taking Care of Our Own: the Black American's Guide to Family Medicine This book provides information on a variety of topics including nutrition, children's health, spirituality and minority health resources. 2004.