Heather Ainsley
ECB Publishing, Inc.
April is National Minority Health Month (NMHM)! Each year, NMHM is observed to spread awareness about the importance of improving the health of racial and ethnic minorities within our community, as well as reducing health disparities. It is important to build awareness about the disproportionate burden of premature death and illness in people who belong to minority groups, and National Minority Health Month encourages action through health education, early detection and control of disease complications. This year's theme is Better Health Through Better Understanding.
According to the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities website, about one in five people in the United States speaks a language other than English at home. It is crucial for these individuals to be able to access culturally and linguistically appropriate services to be able to maintain good health practices and habits. Over half of patients 18 years or older that belong to racial and ethnic minority communities believe that it is important to be able to visit healthcare providers who share and understand their culture and ethnicity. Through both cultural competency and cultural humility, healthcare providers can improve communication with patients to increase health literacy.
In recognition of National Minority Health Month, on April 22, the Florida Department of Health in Madison will be partnering with multiple community agencies here in Monticello in participation of a community health fair. The fair will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Jefferson Recreation Park, which is located at 1380 Mamie Scott Dr., in Monticello. This fun, family-friendly event will include free food, games, outdoor activities and plenty of health information and resources.
While health indicators such as life expectancy and infant mortality rates have improved over the last several decades for most American citizens, many individuals from racial and ethnic minority groups experience a disproportionate burden of preventable disease, death and disability compared non-Hispanic white people. The reason behind this is a problem within the systems of our society that lead to these racial disparities, and in order to fix those problems, they must be addressed. As America is a melting pot of cultures and ancestry, it is the right of every American to have the opportunity to live a healthy life and receive accurate and effective treatment.
For more information about the April 22 Minority Health Fair, contact Shanetha Mitchell at shanetha.mitchell@flhealth.gov or contact Quinn Steele at quinn.steele@flhealth.gov.
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