What Is a “Health Disparity?” And Why Does It Matter?

What Is a “Health Disparity?” And Why Does It Matter?

Different groups of people can have health challenges which may be unique to them. For example, did you know the infant mortality rate for college-educated Black women is almost 3X higher than for White women with similar education? That’s what we call a “health disparity” – and it’s the kind of information that should be examined to identify and address the needs of diverse patients better.

Certain diverse populations can have a more difficult time than others in navigating the health care system effectively and efficiently. The result:

• Lower quality of care
• Poorer health outcomes
• Excess medical costs

Solutions to resolve these complex and often persistent disparities have been elusive – and often have many moving parts. We are dedicated to developing innovative approaches to both understand and address health disparities.

Our Vision and Mission

Our vision is to ensure that all people have an equal opportunity to achieve healthy lives. To make this vision a reality, our mission is to improve multicultural health and health care by:

• Identifying health care gaps through robust analytical techniques
• Using those results to develop innovative strategies and caring solutions to address the gaps
• Providing insight for practical implementation of relevant programs and appropriate evaluation

Please explore the experiences and resources on this site to learn more.