Welcome to the Arkansas Center for Health Disparities (ARCHD). ARCHD is supported by the National Institutes of Health on Minority Health and Health Disparities, NIH.
Learn more about (a) health disparities, (b) ARCHD functions (c) read about pilot research projects, (d) evaluate and obtain information about funding opportunities.
If you have questions regarding the ARCHD, please contact Linda Luster, ARCHD Project Manager at lusterlindad@uams.edu or (501) 526-6639.
Health Disparities
The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, NIH defines a health disparity “as a health difference that adversely affects disadvantaged populations, based on one or more the specified health outcomes”:
- Higher incidence and/or prevalence of disease and/or disorders:
- Premature and/or excessive mortality in diseases where populations differ;
- Greater burden of disease demonstrated with metrics such as reduced quality of life or disability-adjusted life years (DALYs); or
- Poorer daily functioning.
Health disparities research is a multi-disciplinary field of study devoted to gaining greater scientific knowledge about the influence of health determinants, understanding the role of different pathways leading to disparities, and determining how this knowledge is translated into interventions to reduce or eliminate health disparities. Health disparity populations include racial and ethnic minorities, rural residents, less privileged socioeconomic status (SES), and sexual and gender minorities (SGM).
National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) FY 2018 Budget.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines health status disparities as “…differences in health outcomes and their causes among different groups of people”. (https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/data_statistics/disparities.htm)
Healthy People 2020 defines a health disparity as “…a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage. Health disparities adversely affect groups of people who have systematically experienced greater obstacles to health based on their racial or ethnic group; religion; socioeconomic status; gender; age; mental health; cognitive, sensory or physical disability; sexual orientation or gender identity; geographic location; or other characteristics historically linked to discrimination or exclusion.” https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/about/foundation-health-measures/disparities.
Important definitions about health disparities.