SBUMC Suffolk County Minority Health Action Coalition Receives Grant To Tackle Suburban Health Disparities

Medical Center / Health Care
SBUMC Suffolk County Minority Health Action Coalition Receives Grant To Tackle Suburban Health Disparities

Commemorating the formation of the Suffolk County Minority Action Coalition (SMHAC), supported by Stony Brook University and the Long Island Community Foundation (LICF), at the ribbon cutting, are, from left: Aldustus E. Jordan, Dean for Student Affairs, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, LICF Board member; Humayun J. Chaudhry, D.O., Commissioner, Suffolk County Department of Health Services; Melody Goodman, Ph.D., Director, Center for Public Health and Health Policy Research at Stony Brook University, and Richard N. Fine, M.D., Dean, Stony Brook University School of Medicine.

STONY BROOK, N.Y., March 12, 2008 – Regional leaders in healthcare, education and government, along with community-based organizations and clergy gathered on February 28 to celebrate the official formation of the Suffolk County Minority Health Action Coalition (SMHAC). The group is working with communities to improve minority health, address racial/ethnic health disparities, and improve access to healthcare. Developed by the Stony Brook University Center for Public Health and Health Policy Research, in conjunction with the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, the coalition also received an $18,000 grant from the Long Island Community Foundation (LICF).

“Suffolk County’s affluence contributes to misperceptions regarding existing health inequities among vulnerable populations,” says Melody Goodman, Ph.D., Director for the Center for Public Health and Health Policy Research. “Central to the effort is direct involvement from communities affected by disparities. We will work closely with such communities to address their specific concerns and needs regarding health and healthcare services.”

Dr. Goodman further points out that African-Americans nationwide and on Long Island suffer greatly from many deadly diseases. “African-Americans have higher incidences of hypertension, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and certain forms of cancer than other populations,” she said.

Statistics on HIV/AIDS alone illustrate the disparities. According to the United Way of Long Island, the HIV/AIDS case rate is higher on Long Island than in any suburb in the nation. In addition, according to the New York State Department of Health, Blacks and Hispanics represent 18.3% of the Long Island population, yet comprise 65 percent of newly diagnosed HIV cases and 58 percent of people with HIV/AIDS.

The LICF grant will be used in part to develop a coalition that pools resources, minimizes the duplication of efforts and leverages the power of partnerships. Dr. Goodman says the power of these partnerships will help create social change with the purpose to develop and implement an action plan to improve minority health and reduce racial/ethnic disparities in health.

“The School of Medicine shares the coalition’s collective vision to ensure access to health and educational services to minority and medically underserved communities in Suffolk County,” says Richard N. Fine, M.D., Dean, Stony Brook University School of Medicine. “Our faculty and students will work with the coalition to develop prevention and intervention strategies in these communities to improve medical services.”

“As a collaborating partner, we believe that utilizing evidence-based public health research to address persistent health problems of communities will provide substantial benefits to our region,” adds Raymond L. Goldsteen, DrPH, Director of the Graduate Program of Public Health. “The first step in this collaborative research process is work collectively to identify and address contributing health risk factors that disproportionately impact communities of color.”

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