223940 Advancing Health Equity and Social Justice Through State Health Department Leadership

Tuesday, November 9, 2010 : 1:10 PM - 1:30 PM

Michael Royster, MD, MPH , Office of Minority Health and Public Health Policy, Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, VA
Karen Reed, MA , Office of Minority Health and Public Health Policy, Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, VA
Kathy H. Wibberly, PhD , Office of Minority Health and Public Health Policy, Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, VA
     
Introduction: One of the overarching goals of Healthy People 2020 is to achieve health equity, eliminate disparities, and improve the health of all groups. Striking disparities in health exist by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and place of residence. These differences in health status are rooted in inequalities in access to social, economic, and political resources and opportunities. The Virginia Department of Health Office of Minority Health and Public Health Policy (OMHPHP) is using a novel approach among state health departments to advance health equity by targeting the social determinants of health (SDOH) and promoting social justice.

Approach: OMHPHP serves as the State Office of Rural Health, the State Primary Care Office, and the State Office of Minority Health. At the core of the Office's approach is the use of geographical information systems (GIS) and spatial analysis to define the distribution of health, disease, and SDOH; and to identify subjurisdictional high priority target areas (HPTA). OMHPHP uses HPTA to enhance the designation of medically underserved areas and to develop comprehensive models of health care based on distance, provider distribution, and fragmentation barriers to health care access. In addition, HPTA data identifies census tracts and block groups facing poor health outcomes and adverse SDOH. Such data identify priority areas for OMHPHP to support the development of community-based participatory approaches to promote community health. Finally , OMHPHP is promoting and facilitating the use of health impact assessment (HIA) and intersectoral governmental collaboration to support the development of state and local policies that advance health equity.

Conclusion: In order to eliminate health inequities, efforts must include the traditional focus on health care and behavior change and focus on addressing the social determinants of health and their distribution. The OMHPHP approach to this framework within a state health department to promote health equity will be discussed.

Learning Areas:
Administration, management, leadership
Diversity and culture
Program planning
Public health administration or related administration
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the approach used by The Virginia Department of Health Office of Minority Health and Public Health Policy to promote health equity. 2. Discuss strategies to coordinate the functions of a State Office of Rural Health, State Primary Care Office and State Office of Minority Health to promote health equity. 3. Discuss the roles of a state health department in targeting the social determinants of health. 4. Identify challenges and lessons learned regarding this approach within a state health department and the context of state government.

Keywords: Health Disparities, Health Departments

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the director of the Office of Minority Health and Public Health Policy in the Virginia Department of Health. I have 13 years of public health experience in CBPR, administration, policy, and health equity.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4190.0: Leadership and Social Justice: The Health Administrators role