September 22, 2006

MGH joins "Be Healthy" collaboration

National studies indicate that certain racial and ethnic groups receive strikingly less care or lower quality of care than white Americans. Closer to home, a 2005 report by the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) also revealed a clear racial divide in the quality of care provided to Boston's minority groups — even when insurance status, income, age and severity of illness were comparable.

To address this issue, the MGH established the first-of-its-kind national Disparities Solutions Center in 2005 to work with providers, insurers and community groups in Boston and across the United States. The center aims to address unequal treatment, or disparities, in health care for minority groups such as African-Americans, Latinos, Asians and for those who are under- or uninsured.

Recently, the MGH Disparities Solutions Center joined the Bay State Banner newspaper's "Be Healthy" initiative, a yearlong print and online campaign that provides monthly information on a variety of health topics that are linked to racial disparities in health. Topics include men's health, cardiovascular disease, women's cancers, asthma, stroke and other preventable diseases. "Be Healthy" also includes
prevention information, community screening information, Q & As with physicians and advice designed to improve the health of all Boston residents. Other groups that have joined the "Be Healthy"collaboration are the BPHC, Partners HealthCare, BWH and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.

"Our hope is that this partnership with the Bay State Banner will provide critical information to readers about disease prevention, healthy living and quality health care resources," says Joseph Betancourt, MD, MPH, director of the MGH Disparities Solution Center. "We are pleased to partner with the Bay State Banner and will continue to develop and evaluate customized solutions to eliminate health care disparities among Boston's ethnic, racial and socioeconomic groups."

"Be Healthy" supporters launch the campaign.