What CDC is Doing

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services created the Office of Minority Health in 1985 as a result of the Report of the Secretary's Task Force on Black and Minority Health, which revealed large and persistent gaps in health status among Americans of different racial and ethnic groups. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created its own Office of Minority Health (OMH) in 1988 in response to the same report. Congress passed the Disadvantaged Minority Health Act of 1990 to improve the health status of underserved populations, including racial and ethnic minorities. During 2006, the Office of Minority Health became the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities.

According to CDC's Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, life expectancy and overall health have improved in recent years for most Americans, thanks in part to an increased focus on preventive medicine and dynamic new advances in medical technology. However, not all Americans are benefiting equally. For too many racial and ethnic minorities in the United States, good health is elusive, since appropriate care is often associated with an individual's economic status, race, and gender. While Americans as a group are healthier and living longer, the nation's health status will never be as good as it could be as long as segments of the population have a poor health status.