Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #120153

Irma Arispe, PhD, National Center for Health Statistics, 3311 Toledo Road, Suite 3315, Hyattsville, MD 20782, 301 458-4076, Iaa9@cdc.gov

This presentation contrasts two efforts to assess the nation's progress on measuring and reducing health care disparities: the 1985 Report of the Secretary's Task Force on Black and Minority Health (the Heckler Report) and the 2004 National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR), recently issued by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Both were large-scale collaborative efforts by Agencies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to critically examine access to health care services by subgroups in the U.S. population and the state of health care delivery in America. Both had the aim of improving access and health outcomes. Yet there were important differences between the two. The presentation compares the two reports on their scope (the goals and purpose of the reports), coverage (of populations and health care settings), depth (level of detail), content areas, and recommendations. It examines progress on key recommendations as well as measurement issues and challenges laid out in the Heckler report. In some areas there was synergy between the two efforts, resulting in improved health and health outcomes. In other areas, the reports seem to converge in their recommendations and findings, noting that disparities are, and continue to be pervasive. A key area of recommendation for both reports pertains to the need for data on racial and ethnic subgroups and on other priority populations. The data in the 2004 report reflects a broader scope of measures and range of data systems, yet many information gaps remain. Efforts such as these provide “snapshots” of health care status and utilization within the current context of the health care delivery system, provide information that can assist the nation in targeting improvements, and identify areas where information gaps exist and future research is needed. When these snapshots are evaluated over time, they provide insight into progress on setting and meeting national goals as well as on our ability to effectively measure and improve our knowledge of health and health disparities.

Learning Objectives:

• After hearing this talk, learners will be able to compare and contrast the 1985 Heckler Report with the 2004 National Healthcare Disparities Report

Keywords: Health Disparities, Reporting

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation