National study: Location may play as big a role as race with health disparities

A new study from researchers at Johns Hopkins University has found that when it comes to health disparities, race may matter less than living in a poor community (Source: “Where Folks Live Plays Role in Health Disparities: Study,” HealthDay News via U.S. News and Worlk Report, Oct. 11, 2011).

The study was published online at the site for the journal Health Affairs.

"By comparing black and white Americans who are exposed to the same set of socioeconomic, social and environmental conditions we were better equipped to discern the impact of race on health-related outcomes and have concluded social factors are essentially equalized when racial disparities are minimized," lead author Thomas LaVeist, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions, and a professor in health policy and management, said in a news release.

At the same time, Cleveland-based Saint Luke’s Foundation has announced that it has awards a grant to support the “Why Place Matters” lecture series, which is a partnership between the City Club of Cleveland and the Cuyahoga County Place Matters research team (Source: “Saint Luke's Foundation grant will shine light on Cuyahoga County health disparities,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, Oct. 11, 2011).

Place Matters is a W.K. Kellogg Foundation-funded national initiative of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, Health Policy Institute.

The  lecture  series in Cleveland begins at noon Oct. 21 at the City Club, 850 Euclid Ave., with a presentation by Gail Christopher, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation's vice president for programs, food, health and wellbeing. Tickets are $18 for members; $30 for nonmembers. Call 216-621-0082 or go online to cityclub.org

[Full disclosure: Saint Luke’s Foundation provides financial support to the Health Policy Institute of Ohio]