From the Office of Minority Health Resource Center
November 25, 2013

During November, the nation collectively recognizes the achievements, contributions and rich culture of Native Americans. Visit our web site for historical and health related information, stats and resources, and ideas for celebrating the observance.

Featured:

• Circle of Life curriculum, an innovative multimedia program based on the medicine wheel, is helping educate American Indian and Alaska Native youth about healthy choices.
• Organizations across the country are using the Native Generations campaign video to educate young families about raising healthy babies and reducing infant mortality.

The Office of Minority Health welcomes new Regional Minority Health Consultants Elijah Martin (Region III) and Corstella Henry (Region VII). We wish also to extend our gratitude to Betsy Rosenfeld, Regional Health Administrator (Region I), Michelle Davis, Regional Health Administrator, and Marline Vignier, Special Advisor for Minority Health (Region II) for your support on minority health issues. Visit our website for updated contacts for all RMHCs.

The Health Insurance Marketplace is open for business. HHS is working hard to help get Americans covered and making improvements every day to HealthCare.gov. Here’s a round-up of additional news and resources on what you need to know about the Affordable Care Act. 

• A new Commonwealth Fund survey found that people across the country are aware of the Marketplace and plan to shop, including many young and healthy people.
• Kaiser Family Foundation released state-by-state estimates of eligibility for premium tax credits under ACA.
• Find out how the ACA impacts mixed status families in this free FAQ from the National Immigration Law Center.
• What the health care law means for Latino family (from univisionnoticias.com), by Cecilia Muñoz, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council
• Americans of all ages are eager for affordable coverage, by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
• Resources for providers: | APHA’s Resource Guide for public health practitioners | HRSA’s provider marketplace toolkit | patients’ bill of rights

Researchers at a large Arizona healthcare center looked at how a short health literacy test would affect the way patients felt about their treatment. They found it did no harm and may have helped to improve patient satisfaction. Read the full article.  

The Disparities Solutions Center at Massachusetts General Hospital is accepting applications for the 2014-2015 Disparities Leadership Program. This year-long executive education program is designed for leaders from hospitals, health plans and other health care organizations who wish to implement practical strategies to identify and address racial and ethnic disparities in health care, particularly through quality improvement. Submit intent to apply by December 13 or contact disparitiessolutions@partners.org for more information. 

National Diabetes Awareness Month. More than 25.8 million people, or 8.3 percent, have diabetes in the U.S., and pre-diabetes is far more common than previously believed. 

• Resources for raising awareness about diabetic eye disease (including social media content and drop-in newsletter articles) are available from NIH’s National Eye Health Education Program.
• Type 2 diabetes is more prevalent among African Americans, Latinos and Asian Americans in the U.S. Check out this fact sheet on diabetes risk and prevention from NIDDK (English and Spanish).
• Worried about what to serve this holiday season for loved ones who are diabetic? NIDDK has the rundown on what you need to know about eating and diabetes. View the fact sheet.
• Pregnant? Do you know your risk for developing gestational diabetes? Take our quiz and find out.

Epilepsy Awareness Month. Ten percent of Americans will experience a seizure in their lifetime, according to the Epilepsy Foundation. 

• Epilepsy affects 350,000 African Americans. Expand your knowledge on this debilitating health disorder.
• Hispanic Americans — who are twice as likely to suffer seizure disorders, according to the Epilepsy Foundation — confront serious barriers to quality care. Learn more about why .
• The Managing Epilepsy Well network promotes epilepsy self-management research to improve the quality of life for people with epilepsy.
• The Heads Up to Parents campaign helps educate parents on how to recognize, respond to and minimize the risk of concussion or other serious brain injury.

The Knowledge Center at the Office of Minority Health Resource Center is the largest repository of health disparities information in the nation, with a collection of 10,000 documents, reports, books, journals and media and more than 47,000 articles related to the health status of racial and ethnic minority populations. The library collection also includes sources of consumer health material in more than 35 languages. 

• View the latest Knowledge Center acquisitions list.
• Search the online catalog.