© 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC Health Disparities: The Nebraska Perspective Chapter 15

© 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC Health Disparities: The Nebraska Perspective  Who are the “Cornhuskers?” Healthy People2010 : Increase quality of healthy live and REDUCE health disparities Nebraska Healthy people 2010 Nebraska Office of Minority Health: 2003 Health Report and 2006 Strategic Plan Health Facts for racial/ethnic minorities web- resources

© 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC Health Disparities: The Nebraska Perspective Nebraska is cultural diverse: German, Irish, English, Swedish and Czech. New input with Hispanic or Latinos, AA, NA, Asian American, Africans This diversity produce varying colors, culture and languages Growing Hispanics and Asian communities : 30% from 2000 to 2006 FAIR(2005) foreign-born residents, 5.2% of all NE population

© 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC Health Disparities: The Nebraska Perspective  Health Disparities in Nebraska Maternal and Child Health: Infant mortality  AA 2.9 times more than Whites  NA 2.5 times more than Whites  Latino Children are less likely to be immunized than non Hispanic children Life expectancy and years of potential life lost:  Life expectancy at birth for NA 67.9 years, 71.6 for AA and 78.3 for White non Hispanics

© 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC Health Disparities: The Nebraska Perspective  Access to Care and Poverty : % Hispanics adults with no insurance  36.8 % for NA  22.6% for AA  20.3% NA Adults unable to see a doctor in 12 mo  18.3% For Hispanics  15.6% for AA

© 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC Health Disparities: The Nebraska Perspective  Poverty level in Nebraska is 34% for AA and 26% for Latino  people under age of 65 are uninsured  27% total Latino population is uninsured  NA have increase risk for Diabetes and mortality due to hear disease  AA highest rate of mortality for cancer  47.9% NA smoking and 20.5% Whites  Latino population has increase prevalence in asthma, COPD, HIV, obesity, suicide, teen pregnancy and TB

© 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC Health Disparities: The Nebraska Perspective  What is Nebraska’s Commitment Today? What Are We Doing? Public Health Stakeholders in NE have identify Health Disparities and Profession Associations to aware of Cultural Competencies  Increase Surveillance, surveillance of language needs, quality of care, cultural barriers, best health practices  In 2006 The office of Minority Health established the medical translation and interpretation program

© 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC Health Disparities: The Nebraska Perspective  State Financing for Nebraska Public Health 2001 : Nebraska legislature passed the Nebraska Health Care Funding Act, Legislative Bill millions to found several public Health iniciatives  Nebraska’s Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities Created in 1992 Health Department bureau and Health Policy and planning

© 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC Health Disparities: The Nebraska Perspective  Need for Public Health Leadership Leaders to reduce persistency of disparities Cultural competencies Economic-social cost Recruiting and retaining employees in the Health Department WHO? Increase access to Health care with quality for any race or minority group

© 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC Health Disparities: The Nebraska Perspective  Health Education of Racial/Ethnic Minorities Bilingual guides Community Health workers Partnerships Health educators

© 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC Health Disparities: The Nebraska Perspective  Obstacles Lack of cultural understanding Language barriers Poverty Limited resources Public policies Cultural differences Legal status Health education

© 2010 Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC Health Disparities: The Nebraska Perspective  Who can help?  OMH Focus groups multiple ideas Multiple opportunities Open mind