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What is
a Health Disparity?
A health disparity is a significant difference in
health status between one population and another. In
some cases, certain groups of people may have a
higher incidence of health problems or death rates,
either in general or for a particular disease.
Many different populations are affected by health
disparities, including racial and ethnic minorities,
residents of rural areas, women, children, the
elderly, those in poverty, and persons with
disabilities. There are many underlying factors,
which must be addressed across all of the core
health areas.
The Partnership’s Goals
The Partnership’s mission is to improve the health
of all Carroll County residents. One of the
Partnership’s goals is the development of a health
disparities campaign to empower individuals to
reduce their risks for obesity, high blood pressure,
stroke, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. We aim
to increase awareness in the community about health
disparities and to improve screening rates in
minority populations.
Maryland data shows higher rates of high blood
pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer
in African American and Hispanic populations. This
can be improved with regular health checkups and
screenings and improvement in nutrition, physical
activity and tobacco use. The Partnership is
developing a community campaign to address these
areas and encourage all individuals to take action
to improve their health and their family’s health.
Local Efforts
A successful local effort to improve health status
in minority populations is the formation of the
Minority Health Council of Carroll County. This
group of volunteers and community partners raise
awareness of health risks to the multicultural
community by networking, advocacy and providing
resources. They are part of the Community Health
Cancer Coalition of the Cigarette Restitution Fund
Program, and meet monthly on the third Monday at
7:00 p.m. at the Westminster Shalom Family Health
Center. The Council sponsors an annual Minority
Cancer Awareness Festival. For more information, contact Barbara
White at 410-876-4443 or Phyllis Hammond at
410-848-8701.
The Carroll County Health Department and the
American Cancer Society offer a program called “Body
and Soul- A Celebration of Healthy Living” for
African American churches. The program encourages
church members to work together to promote healthier
eating choices. Nutrition plays an important role in
preventing disease and controlling high blood
pressure and diabetes. A minority church interested
in finding out more about Body and Soul can contact
Dawn Eldridge at 410-876-4984.
Another effort in the county which will help improve
health outcomes for minorities is the Regional
Minority Family Forums. These are coordinated by the
Carroll County Public Schools Department of Minority
Achievement and Intervention Programs and the
Department of Student Services. The meetings
throughout the county link parents and students to
resources, which include learning to speak and read
English. Language barriers are a key factor in
access to health care. For more information, contact
Pat Levroney at CCPS at 410-386-1680.
A major success in improving access to health care
for all was the formation of Access Carroll, which
offers free health care to uninsured, low- income
residents of Carroll County. This non-profit
organization was founded in 2005 by Carroll Hospital
Center, Carroll County Health Department and the
Partnership for a Healthier Carroll County, Inc. For
more information about Access Carroll, go to this
website’s core health improvement areas. Many free
health screenings are offered throughout the County
by the hospital and Health Department.
The Partnership looks forward to partnering with
other groups, agencies and volunteers, as well as
the medical community, to determine ways to reduce
health disparities in Carroll County and work toward
a healthier Carroll County for all of its citizens.
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