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National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
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National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion |
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In
the United States racial and ethnic minorities, as well as sexual minority
populations, suffer disproportionately from preventable diseases and
conditions, many of which result from health-related behaviors that are
established during childhood and adolescence. These behaviors include
physical inactivity, poor nutrition, tobacco use, sexual risk behaviors, and
poor asthma management.
Addressing health disparities is a central focus of the strategic plans for both the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). An overarching goal for DHHS’s Healthy People 2010, a set of health objectives for the nation, is eliminating health disparities, and two of CDC’s four health protection goals directly address the importance of reaching at-risk populations:
Culturally appropriate school programs that address risk behaviors among youth, especially when coordinated with community efforts, could improve the health of populations at risk for health disparities, and the health of the nation as a whole. CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH), whose mission is preventing the most serious health risks among youth, incorporates efforts to address health disparities among at-risk communities in every aspect of its work.
Examples of DASH-funded programs, and surveillance, evaluation, and research activities that address health disparities among youth are provided in the "Addressing Disparities: CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health" brochure [pdf 984K].
Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Presentation slides and fact sheets are available, providing information on racial/ethnic differences in health risk behaviors among youth.
Proceedings and Executive Summary of the Surgeon General's Workshop on Improving Health Literacy, held September 7, 2006, at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD. On September 7, 2006, Acting Surgeon General Kenneth Moritsugu held a Surgeon General's Workshop on Improving Health Literacy. The goal of the workshop was to present the state of the science in the field of health literacy from a variety of perspectives, including those of health care organizations and providers, the research community, and educators. During the course of the one-day workshop, participants identified the public health consequences of limited health literacy and established an evidence base for taking action.
Documents on this page are available in Portable Document Format (PDF). Learn more about viewing and printing these documents with Acrobat Reader.
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Page last reviewed: December 05, 2008
Division of Adolescent
and School Health
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