Health Disparities in Jefferson County

PlusInc and AIDS Alabama are working to address health disparities in Jefferson County in Alabama. Like many communities in Alabama, Birmingham’s greater metropolitan area has many health conditions afflicting its residents. Our collaborative effort pays particular interest to numerous health disparities, among them HIV/AIDS, Mental Health Services, and Substance Use Disorder. AIDS Alabama is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides housing, health care services, health insurance premium assistance and support groups designed to empower community members living with HIV/AIDS. AIDS Alabama also offers comprehensive Prevention Programs which provide HIV testing and STI testing and treatment, counseling and outreach to at-risk communities.

-> Learn more about health disparities in Jefferson County

Due to the incidence rate being so low for some of these health conditions in Jefferson Counties, county data are not broken down into demographic categories in order to protect the identities of patients. Nonetheless, it does provide a glimpse into what is happening in Alabama’s North Central region. To achieve greater health equity, our healthcare infrastructure needs to identify the health disparities that exist in the United States, and how they can vary from one health condition or another.

Health Disparities Portfolio Expanded to Include More Chronic Health Conditions

In 2022, PlusInc launched its national campaign to raise awareness about health disparities among marginalized communities in the United States. Health Equity can only be achieved by addressing and changing the systemic institutional and societal barriers that result in health disparities. Initially, our health disparities portfolio focused on COVID-19, Escherichia coli Pyomyositis (ExPEC), HIV/AIDS, Mental Health, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Substance Use Disorder (opioids, stimulants), and Viral Hepatitis (HBV, HCV). Next year, we will expand our reach into seven additional chronic health conditions to complement the work we’re already doing.

In 2023, PlusInc’s expanded health disparities portfolio will include:

1. Behavioral Health

2. Cancer - Colon

3. Cancer - Melanoma

4. Cardiovascular Disease

5. Maternal Health & Mortality

6. Respiratory - Asthma

7. Respiratory - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

The additions represent a broad array of the health issues long plaguing marginalized communities in the United States, as well as others emerging as incident rates increase and more data becomes available on them. For example, we have known for quite some time that poor maternal health outcomes disproportionately impact communities of color. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), black mothers are three times more likely than white mothers to die from maternal health complications, and many of them avoidable with better care. Additionally, a federal study on maternal deaths yielded a very troubling statistic: most (like, 90%) maternal deaths among Indigenous mothers were preventable. More troubling is pregnant mothers are now being threatened by a new trend in the United States, namely maternity care ‘deserts’ are on the rise.

But there are other deserts impacting quality healthcare. There are significant care gaps in behavioral health. Fortunately, there is a new behavioral health data mapping tool, which could remedy the problem. Change won’t happen unless such tools are accompanied by heightened awareness, additional resources, and better community outreach. PlusInc exists to help in this effort.

Moving forward into next year, PlusInc will build upon our momentum we started this year by not only taking a deeper dive into the health disparities surrounding these chronic health conditions, but also evaluating how they’re impacting local communities.

Health Disparities in Merced & Stanislaus Counties

PlusInc and Legacy Health Endowment are working to address health disparities in Merced and Stanislaus Counties in California. Like many communities in California, both Merced and Stanislaus Counties have many health conditions afflicting its residents. Our collaborative effort pays particular interest in how COVID-19, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Mental Health Services, Substance Use Disorder and HIV/AIDS are impacting our local communities. Legacy Health Endowment provides funding and technical support to create healthcare solutions and facilitate improved wellness within Stanislaus and Merced Counties.

-> Learn more about health disparities in Merced County

-> Learn more about health disparities in Stanislaus County

Due to the incidence rate being so low for some of these health conditions in Merced and Stanislaus Counties, county data are not broken down into demographic categories in order to protect the identities of patients. Nonetheless, it does provide a glimpse into what is happening in the northern San Joaquin Valley section of the Central Valley, California. To achieve greater health equity, our healthcare infrastructure needs to identify the health disparities that exist in the United States, and how they can vary from one health condition or another.

Patients Have a Stake in Health Equity, too

In recent years, “health equity” terminology has become increasingly used in the national conversation about healthcare in the United States. Health equity is often used interchangeably with another term, health disparities, although each one has its own unique meaning. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), “Health equity is when everyone has the opportunity to be as healthy as possible. Health disparities are differences in health outcomes and their causes among groups of people. Many health disparities are related to social determinants of health, the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age.” (CDC, 2020) To achieve greater health equity, our healthcare infrastructure needs to identify the health disparities that exist in the United States, and how they can vary from one health condition or another.

In 2016, a multimodal survey of mayors and health commissioners was conducted by Jonathan Purtle, et al. and it yielded some interesting findings. First of all, less than half of the mayors and health commissioners contacted took the time to complete the survey — which in and of itself, is a sad indictment on how those officials prioritize public health in their respective jurisdictions. That aside, Purtle reported, “Forty-two percent of mayors and 61.1% of health commissioners strongly agreed that health disparities existed in their cities. Thirty percent of mayors and 8.0% of health commissioners believed that city policies could have little or no impact on disparities.” Not surprisingly in today’s political climate, ideology is strongly associated with opinions about disparities. (Purtle, 2018)

Maybe part of the problem is the terminology, health equity and health disparities, is not defined explicitly. Nearly a decade ago, Paula Braveman, MD, MPH warned, “Ambiguity in the definitions of these terms could lead to misdirection of resources.” Dr. Braveman outlined the why explicit definitions are needed, because “not all health differences are health disparities” (Brakeman, 2014).

Health disparities exist, as defined by Dr. Bravemen through a social justice lense, and they are getting worse. Whereas numerous organizations committed to health equity exist, none approach health disparities specific to health conditions from the patient perspective. This is why PlusInc exists.