Today marks the start of National Minority Health Month, a time to reflect on the health disparities that persist among racial and ethnic minority and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health (OMH) leads this annual observance and encourages everyone to take action to end these inequities.

I am pleased to announce that our theme for 2024, Be the Source for Better Health: Improving Health Outcomes Through Our Cultures, Communities, and Connections, is about understanding how the unique environments, cultures, histories, and circumstances (also known as social determinants of health, or SDOH) of racial and ethnic minority and AI/AN populations impact our overall health.

There is a pressing need to equip individuals with the resources and knowledge to advance health equity through policies, programs, and practices addressing SDOH. That is why OMH works with public health, community-based, and other partners to share information and promote actions for addressing SDOH. OMH seeks to identify and disseminate national, state, and local efforts that effectively respond to economic, educational, healthcare, neighborhood, and social circumstances in a manner that is respectful and responsive to health beliefs, practices, and needs of diverse populations.