Health+Disparities

=== African American Health. MedlinePlus. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/africanamericanhealth.html. MedlinePlus is an Internet portal that provides links to authoritative information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health ===

(NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations. To find consumer health information for African Americans at MedlinePlus, go to the “Health Topics” page via the link on the MedlinePlus home page directory found at [|http://medlineplus.gov]. Once there, click on the “Population Groups” link under //Demographic Groups//, and then again on “African-American Health.” On this page, there are links to general overviews and basic African American health topics; prevention and screening; current headlines; related health and financial issues; clinical trials; genetic information; nutrition advice; current research; journal articles; directories; statistics; organizations; information for black children and their parents; and gender specific health information.

African American Health Center. NetWellness. http://www.netwellness.org/healthtopics/aahealth/.
NetWellness is a non-profit consumer health website whose aim is to improve the health of Ohioans and people world wide through the use of high-quality, expert information that has been created and/or evaluated by the medical faculty and health professionals of the University of Cincinnati, Case Western Reserve University, and the Ohio State University. The African American Health Center at NetWellness is an easily navigable Internet portal designed to steer the inquirer toward reliable, authoritative resources on a variety of health topics, conditions, issues, news, and information. To access this page from the NetWellness home page, go to [|http://netwellness.org], find “Health Centers,” and choose “African American Health” from the options list. Links at the Center’s webpage are organized in sections titled, “Topics and Conditions” and “Health Issues.” Specific sites can be found under “Colorectal Cancer Awareness.” The “More Information” section provides data on demographics, statistics, research, and useful organizations, among other things. The African American Health Center provides the searcher with links to find information on health disparities. It offers an “Ask an Expert” feature where the visitor can read previously posed questions and the answers or ask his or her own unique question. Submit an email address and receive notification of when the answer is posted. A list of experts and their credentials is provided.

Black Women’s Health Imperative. http://www.blackwomenshealth.org/.
The Black Women’s Health Imperative, formally known as the National Black Women’s Health Project, was founded in 1983 by Byllye Y. Avery. It is the nation’s only organization devoted to the health of Black American women. Its mission is to promote the spiritual, mental, and physical health of black women and girls across their life spans. The Imperative looks to develop and disseminate useful health and wellness information, products, and programs. The site offers self-care tips; useful information and advice on symptoms and early-warning signs; help with understanding treatment options; and up-to-date black health news, events, and topics. The Imperative aims to “build a strong ‘SisterForce™’ of Black women who are powerful self advocates of their personal health.” They lobby for the enactment of policies and legislation that advocates the health and well-being of African American women. They look to provide “C.A.R.E.”: **C**ommunity Outreach, **A**dvocacy, **R**esearch and Resources, and **E**ducation. The Imperative has been active in the National Coalition for Health and Environmental Justice and the Black Church Initiative on Sexuality. Through “Sister Circle™” sessions, they promote self help techniques. They support a Walking for Wellness program, substance abuse research and education, and domestic violence initiatives. They educate Black females on topics relating to puberty and reproduction, and they offer a variety of health information fact sheets. Membership into the Black Women’s Health Imperative is not mandatory, but necessary for those wanting to take advantage of all the sites benefits. Becoming a member is free, with yearly contributions requested. As a member, one can access the “Check-ups” section and find personalized health and lifestyle guidance.

Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities (OMHD). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). [|http://www.cdc.gov/omhd/.]
The mission of the Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities (OMHD) is to accelerate the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) impact on the health of the U.S population by working to “eliminate health disparities for vulnerable populations as defined by race/ethnicity, socio-economic status, geography, gender, age, disability status, risk status related to sex and gender, and among other populations identified to be at-risk for health disparities.” From the OMHD home page, one can access information geared toward the African American population by first clicking on “Racial & Ethnic Minority Populations” in the directory and then clicking “African American” from the list. Here one can find specific demographic information, fact sheets on the ten leading causes of death for black Americans and other high prevalence issues, statistical information, a health disparities slide show, a brochure on African American Health issues, and links to both government and non-government Internet resources.

Sisters Together. Weight-Control Information Network. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. National Institutes of Health. http://win.niddk.nih.gov/sisters/index.htm.
The Weight-Control Information Network (WIN) was established in 1994 by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Its mission is to provide up-to-date, scientifically evaluated information on weight control, obesity, fitness, diet, and other related nutritional issues. “Sisters Together: Move More, Eat Better” is a national initiative developed by WIN to encourage Black women to become more physically active, eat healthier foods, and maintain a healthy weight. To access the materials, go to the WIN home page at http://win.niddk.nih.gov/index.htm and click on the “Sisters Together” link provided.

World Health Organization (WHO)
http://www.who.int/en/