268947 A systematic review of measures used to assess changes in race based health disparities

Monday, October 29, 2012

Melody S. Goodman, PhD , Division of Public Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
Keon L. Gilbert, DrPH, MPA, MA , Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Saint Louis University, School of Public Health, St. Louis, MO
Background: Health disparities research remains an important public health matter. Ten years after Healthy People 2010, which aimed to eliminate health disparities, research has yet to fully articulate an evidence-based approach to disparities reduction. It is important to have a systematic way to monitor and track progress in the reduction of disparities and determine the impact of interventions, policies, programs and research.

Methods: Using the Pubmed database and the key words “racial health disparities” we examined five years (2007-2011) of racial health disparities literature. A database of studies that measured a racial disparity was compiled; studies that discussed disparities but did not calculate a measure of racial disparities were excluded. We analyze data by journal impact factor, journal category (i.e., clinical, disease specific, public health, ethnicity focused) reference group used, disease examined, and racial disparity measured.

Results: This study identified n=60 journals, which published n=203 articles between 2007 and 2011 which measured racial health Disparities. The majority of this work appeared in public health (53%) or clinical (22%) journals and examined disparities between blacks and whites (88%), Hispanics were include in 42% of the studies. Fifty-five of the journals (92%) have a measured impact factor.

Discussion: Given the theoretical and measurement differences within the literature a clear direction on how best to define disparities by disease and population is needed. In order to be able to systematically examine the racial disparities literature there is a need for standardized reporting standards.

Learning Areas:
Diversity and culture
Social and behavioral sciences
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
1) Discuss theoretical and measurement issues in the health disparities literature. 2) Discuss a systematic-review approach to examine the theoretical and measurement trends in the health disparities literature. 3) Examine the implications of results for future empirical and community-based research focused on eliminating health disparities.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: My research interests focus on: Statistical methods to analyze data from community-based cancer interventions and health disparities research; Examination of social, lifestyle and behavioral risk factors that contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in preventable and manageable chronic illness; Developing evidence-based, culturally competent, Community-based interventions that reduce the risk of preventable disease in vulnerable populations; Community-based participatory research theory, practice and implementation; and Forging community-campus partnerships through community organizing and coalition building.
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: 3281.1: Health Disparities Poster Session