Meeting

Workshop 4: Roundtable on Health Disparities. America in Transition, A View from California - Implications for Addressing Health Disparities

When:

Monday, July 28, 2008 (8:00 AM)

Topic(s):

Select Populations and Health Disparities

Activity:

Roundtable on Health Disparities

Board(s):

Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice

A free public workshop was held in Los Angeles, to learn more about how communities undergoing major demographic transitions develop strategies to address health disparities. Representatives from three California communities (East Palo Alto, Fresno, and South Central Los Angeles) talked about the lessons learned from their own community experiences and their successes and failures. Keynote speakers were Dr. E. Richard Brown, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, and Dr. Mindy Fullilove, Columbia University. Dr. Lori Dorfman of the Berkeley Media Studies Group also talked about the importance of framing issues of health disparities within communities. Dr. Tony Iton of the Alameda County Health Department offered his thoughts and responses to the community panelists.

Speakers addressed the following questions:

• How are demographic transitions affecting communities? (stage setting)
• How are issues of health disparities and racism framed in different communities? How are these issues framed for different stakeholders?
• What strategies are communities developing to address health disparities? Are there commonalities among them? Are there best practices?
• What lessons can be learned from community successes and failures?