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ELIMINATING HEALTH DISPARITIES INITIATIVE

Map - Eliminating Health Disparities Grants
List - Eliminating Health Disparities Grants

Background
A growing body of evidence shows that African-americas are disproportionately likely to suffer from various cancers, Latinos are much more likely than whites to struggle with diabetes, and Native Americans face a higher risk of dying during infancy. Such differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden of disease and other adverse health conditions among specific population groups are known as "health disparities".

While some health professionals believe that most disparities can be attributed to socioeconomic status and biological or genetic differences, most have accepted the fact that race and ethnicity as well as socioeconomic factors have demonstrable effects on health status.  In many cases a variety of factors simultaneously impact the health status of some racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups that result in persistent disparities in health status.  These may include cultural, institutional, political and structural conditions faced by certain population groups.

Objective
In 2004, HWTF Commissioners voted to address this growing problem by offering grants to Eliminate Health Disparities.  With a total allocation of $12.5 million, the Health Disparities Initiative seeks to reduce disparities for children / youth and adults related to obesity and chronic diseases, including but not limited to:  cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.  The targeted goals for this initiative are included in the North Carolina 2010 Health Objectives (www.healthycarolinians.org/2010objs/elimdispar.htm), which are based on the Healthy People 2010 objectives for the United States as a whole.

HWTF efforts will focus on increasing awareness about health disparities within targeted populations of African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans in NC, and on addressing the promotion of Equal Health Quality for the entire state, long-term.  The initiative is further designed to encourage collaboration among community stakeholders and to develop culturally appropriate outreach methods and messages that will serve these targeted populations. 

Program
The Eliminating Health Disparities Request for Grant Proposals was released on November 16, 2005 and final applications were due on March 1^st, 2006.  HWTF received more than 100 applications from organizations statewide to initiate new or expand existing services and programs. 

Based on an extensive external review process, 23 organizations were awarded $9.2 million in grant funding in May 2006.   Grants were awarded for a three-year period starting July 1, 2006 and ending on June 30, 2009.  The majority of the grants awarded will address obesity and chronic diseases related to obesity, especially diabetes and cardiovascular disease, among African-American, Native American, Latino and other populations with low-socio-economic status.  Four of the grants awarded are to community-based minority organizations, three are to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and several grants have a significant faith-based approach.  These 27 grantees represent a very diverse geographic, organizational, and racial mix.  The funded proposals adhered to the following best practices and program design:

• Partnerships/Collaborations are consistent with the goals and objectives of the initiative
• Proposed action plan is based on evidence-based strategies appropriate for the population served
• Grant services are projected to reach adequate numbers of community members/clients
• Applicant organization demonstrates the ability to build sustained community support for the proposed efforts among relevant stakeholders, including those not traditionally involved in disparity reduction efforts.

Grantees have implemented their projects and are utilizing expert guidance from HWTF's technical assistance providers at North Carolina Central University (NCCU). HWTF plans to design and conduct a NC-specific social marketing campaign to raise awareness statewide regarding health disparities.  All grantees will be expected to help leverage this campaign through their coalitions, while utilizing social marketing materials developed by HWTF, its support contractors and its technical assistance and training vendor.

Partners/Technical Assistance

• Health disparities experts from NCCU will provide technical assistance for the initiative.
• NCDHHS Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities is supporting NCCU in an advisory capacity.
• Through a grant to NC DHHS Div. of Public Health, formative research on message development for a social marketing campaign has been conducted by Brogan & Partners.
• Evaluation experts from the Brody School of Medicine at ECU Department of Family Medicine Research Division will serve as the outcomes evaluator for the Eliminating Health Disparities initiative. 
• Ballen Media will develop and produce social marketing campaigns focusing on diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Research
In January 2006, HWTF released a survey and focus group research report on attitudes about health disparities in North Carolina.

RFP for Eliminating Health Disparities Request for Proposal - Due 03/01/06 CLOSED