The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

4023.0: Tuesday, November 12, 2002 - Board 4

Abstract #50198

Effects of a leaky educational pipeline on the health professions workforce

Anita Moncrease, MD, MPH1, Jacqueline Rodrigue, MSW2, Evelyn Christian3, Thomas Greer, MSW4, Tyson Nakahima, MS4, and Captain Armando Pollack, MSW4. (1) Center for Quality, HRSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 9-05, Rockville, MD 20857, 301-443-0818, jrodrigue@hrsa.gov, (2) Division of Health Careers Diversity and Development, HRSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 8A-09, Rockville, MD 20857, (3) Evaluation and Planing, HRSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 8-20, Rockville, MD 20857, (4) Division of Health Careers, Diversity, and Development, HRSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 8A-09, Rockville, MD 20857

The current pool of health professional providers and faculties are not representative of the United States population. Minorities make up a quarter of the population but they account for only 10% of the health profession workforce. The health professions educational pipeline has many leaks that allow for minorities to be lost at a disproportionately higher rate than whites. The resources from which the pipeline originates are contaminated by disparities in economic and social factors resulting in educational outcomes, which limits the health profession application pool. The health profession pipeline begins in elementary school and terminates in the health profession workforce. Major leaks are identified by: 1. The high non-promotion rates in the first, sixth and eighth grades of African Americans compared to whites 2. The overall dropout rate of 5 out of every 100 high school students with Hispanics being 7.4%, African American 6.1%, White non-Hispanic 4.1% and Asian/Pacific Islanders 3.5% 3. The lack of diversity in the application pool to the health professional schools and undergraduate schools 4. The lack of diversity at the faculty, administrative, and policy making levels in the health professional schools. The information above supports the need for strategies, policies, and intervention to be implemented to alleviate leaks in the pipeline.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participants will be able to

Keywords: Policy/Policy Development, Health Workers Training

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Designing Health Promotion and Providing Access to Service for Cultural and Linguistic Minorities

The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA