Health Disparities Conference
EVENT PLANNING AND MULTICULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS
GlaxoSmithKline
CHALLENGE
Bringing Together Diverse Organizations to Address the Issue of Rising Health Disparities in California’s Ethnic Communities
The prevalence of health care disparities among low income and ethnic communities is on the rise. In many instances racial and ethnic minorities receive fewer health care services, lower quality service, and service later in their illness. This problem will continue to increase as the percentage of the population belonging to an ethnic or racial minority continues to increase. GlaxoSmithKline turned to Perry Communications Group to help bring diverse populations together to discuss and find solutions to California’s growing problem of ethnic health disparities.
SOLUTION
Review the Problem at the Community Level to Understand the Roots of Health Disparities in the Community and Determine What Has Been Done and What Can be Done
Perry Communications Group drew on its event planning and advocacy building skills to develop a one-day interactive summit designed to identify and address the health disparities affecting California’s ethnic communities. By collaborating with groups such as Visión Y Compromiso, Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, California Black Health Network and Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, a “Community Approach to Health Disparities” summit was developed. The event served as an informational forum where participants had the opportunity to identify and address specific health disparities affecting California’s ethnic communities and receive culturally appropriate materials, tools and resources needed to generate positive change within their communities.
RESULT
A Highly Attended Event Identified Wide Spread Community Health Care Disparities and Provided Proven Solutions for Addressing Them
Over 120 attendees from Latino, African American and Asian groups within the community attended the summit and provided positive feedback. Panelists and speakers representing California’s diverse ethnic communities helped attendees’ experience:
- Proven strategies to begin to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities found in racial and ethnic communities.
- Training methods on grassroots advocacy.
- Lobbying 101: The do’s and don’ts of approaching change in public policy.
- How the issues covered tied into a greater need for coalition building amongst diverse ethnic communities.
- How health education and economics tie into race and ethnicity.
