- Current national data sources utilized in Healthy People do
not allow for the health concerns of diverse population to be recognized, nor do they
allow for the identification of the actual health problems which exist among some of the
sub-populations within each of the major racial and ethnic categories. National data
sources need to be adjusted to oversample among groups who currently are small segments of
the total population. Alternatively, Healthy People can start to rely on local data sets
that are already collected within these population groups. In some respects, we need to
stop focusing so much on the funding needs of data sources, and start using data we
already have to avert the funding to much needed programs.
- Programmatic funding needs to be focused towards those
populations at greatest need. This includes the need for training and grant-writing
support in order for those communities in greatest need to have the ability to compete
with other groups for limitied resources. In addition, when programmatic funding is
granted to a population in need, this funding needs to be long-term in order to achieve a
positive effect. Most communities in need do not have the capacity to maintain programs
when federal or state support is terminated.
- We need to encourage, stimulate, fund, or in someway
increase the number of minorities within the public health workforce. Persons from racial
and ethnically diverse communities often respond better to health personnel from similar
backgrounds. In general, we need to make the jobs in public health more equitable with
jobs in other sectors in order to inncrease, and retain qualified persons. And finally, we
need to train all health workers in cultural competency, regardless of their personal
background or position.
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