Minority Health Project hosts panel discussion

Community representatives, politicians and medical experts met in a panel discussion Monday to address disparities in health among racial groups.

The discussion derived from evidence that minorities on average have more limited access to adequate health care.

Allan Noonan, director of Morgan State’s Public Health Program, initially addressed the concerns that making health care a social concern is counteractive because it lumps certain groups together.

“We are talking about more people in sick in one group than another, more people dying rather than another,” he said. “It can be measured.”

But he underscored the importance of always looking beyond race when seeking health solutions.

“It tends to make us think that all people are the same,” he said. “But there are disparaties within that group that you have to pay attention to.”

The panel came to consensus on the power and importance of preventive medicines — as opposed to reactionary treatment to sickeness.

“We still spend less than 1 percent of our health dollar on prevention,” Noonan said. “We spend it on infectious disease, chronic disease treatment.”

U.S. Rep. Mel Watt, D-N.C. agreed, characterizing the reactionary focus as a major problem of the nation health care system.

“It’s just not geared toward prevention,” said Watt, who is chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. “It’s geared toward reaction, and we need to reorganize.”

The discussion of reorganizing the health care system

“Health care is a basic right, it ought not to be something we are buying,” Noonan said.

But some members of the panel were less optimistic about the ability of health care providers to alter their practices.

“Poltitics is a barrier to quality health care,” said Gary Grant, executive director of the Concerned Citizens of Tillery.

“They don’t fund action because it’s not profitable,” he said to applause from the audience. “That does not define prevention.”

The panel discussion was hosted by the UNC School of Public Health Minority Health Project and the Morgan-Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions.

The event, broadcasted over the Internet and a live video feed, marked the beginning of the Health Disparities Solution confernence, held this week at UNC.

Video conferences — which consist of presentations for researchers, public health practitioners and policy analysts — were held throughout this week.

For more information, go http://www.minority.unc.edu/institute/2005/.

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.