Eliminating Health Disparities

Healthy People 2020 defines a health disparity as “a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage." Disparities can be seen in the elevated incidence of HIV in the rural South, increased rates of obesity in lower-income populations; high rates of heart disease in African Americans; suicide rates in lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender populations or military veterans; shorter lifespans of lower-income workers; and increased complications from diabetes in Hispanic populations.

Latest Work

17 Dec 2020
Brief

Using Telehealth to Meet the Challenges of the Opioid Epidemic

Across the United States, overdose death rates are surging. More information is needed to inform the delivery of medications for opioid use disorder and other therapeutic approaches using telehealth. Health policy researchers from AIR and IMPAQ are tracking and evaluating how policymakers, providers, and others in the health care field are responding to the opioid epidemic during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Image of David Hayes-Bautista
14 Oct 2020
Q & A

An Emerging Narrative on Latino Health Disparities and its Implications in the COVID-19 Era

Longstanding systemic health and social inequities have put Americans categorized as racial and ethnic minorities at greater risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19. At the same time, Latinos have a history of good health outcomes. AIR Institute Fellow David E. Hayes-Bautista has researched Latino health outcomes for more than three decades, and has reframed the narrative about diversity, race and ethnicity, and health. In this Q & A, he explains his findings and the implications for health care policy and practice.
31 Aug 2020
Brief

The Expansion of Telehealth: Equity Considerations for Policymakers, Providers, and Payers

Health policy researchers from IMPAQ and AIR have been tracking and analyzing the rapid advancements in telehealth delivery and accessibility during the COVID-19 pandemic. This brief explores how policymakers, providers, and payers can increase access to telehealth for diverse patient populations; navigate issues of digital literacy; expand broadband access; and shift toward a health care system that incentivizes both value and equity.
Image of baby with parents
3 Aug 2020
Q & A

A Quick Word with Alex Holod on Awareness of Family Leave Policy in California

According to existing research, giving mothers paid time off could lead to both improved health outcomes and overall costs savings from reduced employee turnover and re-training costs. AIR's Alex Holod describes the benefits of family leave for both parent and child, why some parents aren’t taking full advantage of available family leave, and the lessons that California's Family Leave practices offer the rest of the country.
Illustration of AIR expert Yael Harris
21 Apr 2020
Q & A

Meet the Expert: Yael Harris

Yael Harris leads research projects to advance access, quality, payment reform, and other policies to transform health care delivery. She is involved in a wide-ranging set of health-related projects, including the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Quality Indicators, the Strong Start for Mothers and Newborns Evaluation, and Project Talent. Learn more about her and her work in this Q&A.
Image of training video
5 Jun 2018
Service

Disability Awareness Training for the Travel and Hospitality Industries

People with disabilities live, work, travel, and participate in all aspects of society—but not without challenges. A frequent barrier to access and inclusion is transportation, particularly long-distance travel. AIR has created online training for travel and hospitality industries to improve your understanding of travelers with disabilities, improve services for customers with disabilities, reduce complaints, and build brand loyalty.
17 Feb 2016
Commentary

What Is Fidelity in Evaluation Research Anyway?

In this commentary (part of our longform essay, Applying Social Science in the Real World), Steven Garfinkel contends that fidelity has become a challenging concept, particularly in evaluating health care insurance and delivery system interventions, and discusses how this can be addressed.
Project

Health Disparities Program

AIR examined the feasibility of conducting an outcomes evaluation for the National Institute of Nursing Research Health Disparities Program, an effort that supports research to reduce and eliminate health disparities in disadvantaged populations.
Project

Prime Time Sister Circles Evaluation

AIR is evaluating Prime Time Sister Circles®, a program designed to help mid-life African-American women take control of their health by improving health habits, monitoring and managing key health indicators (hypertension and weight), reducing stress, increasing physical activity, and improving n

Project

The Community Health Worker Health Disparities Initiative Program

AIR’s evaluation of two National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) community-based initiatives will contribute to improved service delivery and a better understanding of the effectiveness of community-based programs for health promotion.

5 Apr 2011
Report

Addressing Mental Health Services Disparities for Ethnically Diverse Children

This study addresses a significant shortcoming in the delivery of behavioral health services to children, namely, the large socio-economic and ethnic disparities between children who utilize services and those children who do not utilize services.