Racism called factor in health-care disparities

A dialogue on the role racism plays in health care must be addressed as part of any real solution to health disparities racial and ethnic minorities face, according to Brian Gibbs, director of Harvard School of Public Health's Program to Eliminate Health Disparities.

"It's not just the health-care system. It's a confluence of what we consider to be our society," Gibbs told those attending the statewide health summit "Eliminating Inequalities in Utah's Health" Thursday.

He noted that black Americans spent 246 years in slavery, then another 100 years with virtually no civil rights, facing segregation even in hospitals. It wasn't until the Voting Rights Act of 1965, or for the most recent 10 percent of their American history, that blacks have had "a voice," he said.

"We have to be able to step outside of the traditional health model," Gibbs said. "Are we ready to walk this walk? Historically, we've been in this box for over 340 years."

The conference at the Salt Lake City Library was sponsored by Utah Issues, the Utah Department of Health, and the State Office of Ethnic Affairs. It sought to strengthen partnerships among communities and the public and private sectors.

It also sought to define one- and five-year goals for eliminating health disparities in coverage and access, culture and language, data and research, policy and statewide infrastructure, and healthy lifestyles, health promotion and education. Working groups were formed to move forward with those goals.

Agnes Chiao, multicultural health analyst and coordinator for Utah Issues, said solutions will involve public-private partnerships and focus on policy.

"This really is a holistic approach to eliminating health disparities," she said. "It's involving all the different aspects."

According to a Utah Department of Health report on "Health Status by Race and Ethnicity" from 1997 to 2004, some of Utah's health disparities include:

• Health insurance: One in four Hispanics doesn't have coverage — more than double the overall uninsured rate.

• Infant mortality: Utah's rate is 5.2 deaths per 1,000 live births. The black infant mortality rate is 13.8, the Hispanic rate is 6.4.

• Life expectancy: Blacks and American Indians have the shortest at 74.2 years and 74.5 years, compared to 77.9 years overall.