National Minority Health Month
Family medicine is at the heart of a community's health. Our focus on addressing health disparities and improving health outcomes for minority populations ties directly to National Minority Health Month. This annual observance in April – which addresses the health needs of African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans and other minorities – provides an opportunity to elevate AAFP member voices and discuss issues that negatively impact patient and community health. Dr. Ada Stewart, AAFP board chair, also shared good news about the AAFP's next steps to advance diversity, equity and inclusion.
As a national health care organization who’s consistently reinforced the importance of preventive health, this year's theme – Give Your Community a Boost – also allows us to offer information that reinforces how vaccines impact health outcomes and build trust in family physicians. Danielle Jones, Ph.D., M.P.H, director of the AAFP's Center for Diversity and Health Equity, was a featured speaker during an April 21 HHS webinar on misinformation during COVID-19.
The AAFP has worked with the Office of Minority Health for more than 15 years on clinical recommendations and practice ideas that can help family physicians improve care for minority patients and underserved communities. We also support Public Health Week (April 4-11), Black Maternal Health Week (April 11-17), National Infant Immunization Week (April 24-30) and World Immunization Week (April 24-30).
"Race, ethnicity, social standing, income level or ZIP code should not be the determining factors of how healthy we are or how long we are going to live, but for many people, that’s exactly what those factors do."
- Sterling Ransone, M.D. in Reflecting on Health Disparities and Health Equity
AAFP Members in Action
Your colleagues are doing incredible work to address health equity issues and serve minority patients. In April, we're putting their voices at the center, because it's those stories - on the front lines of primary care - that really pave the way for change. We'll also celebrating members being recognized for their health equity work, like the Family Physicians Honored at 2022 National Minority Quality Forum Summit.
Yogesh Shah
Overcoming Barriers at the Intersection of Faith and Health Care
Nikhil Hemady
Program Director Receives
ACGME Accolade
Tochi Iroku-Malize & Omari Hodge
Implicit Bias & Microaggressions
AAFP NRN Researchers
Findings Could Reduce Asthma Exacerbations, Health Disparities
Safiya McNeese-Ruffin
Finding the Well for Better
Maternity Care
Charity Reynolds
Family Medicine Was Path to Help Underserved Patients
Robyn Liu
NCCL Put Convener on
Leadership Path
Laura Parajón
City, State Turn to FP for Leadership During Pandemic
Health Equity Fellows
Meet the AAFP's 2021-2022
Health Equity Fellows
Brittney Anderson
Rural Doc Working to Expand
Access to Care
Kendall Campbell
FM Mentor Addresses Diversity,
Equity With Data
J. Nwando Olayiwola
Family’s Immigration Experience Shaped Health Equity Champion
Just Released: Improving the Patient Experience
The March/April edition of FPM delved into the importance of a patient's experience with their care, and how to address the biggest issues that create patient dissatisfaction or frustration.
- Screening for Social Determinants of Health in Daily Practice: Social factors often have greater influence on patients' health than medical care. Identifying those factors is the first step to addressing them.
- Overcoming Barriers of Distrust: Whether distrust stems from discrimination or other negative experiences, “Seek first to understand.”
- What Do Patients Want?: “Patient satisfaction” is the measure of how well the entire experience met patients' expectations. Was the clinic warm and welcoming? Did they feel listened to and cared for?
Recent Health Equity Reports
Survey Examines SDOH Impact on FPs, Patients
A new survey offers insights on the degree to which social drivers of health affect not only patient health, but also physician practices and physician well-being.
Report Finds Widespread Health Inequities in U.S.
An analysis confirms that substantial racial and ethnic health care inequities exist, even in states that are recognized as providing high-quality health care to their residents.
Addressing Health Equity and Systemic Racism
The COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force's final report found improvements in hospitalizations, deaths and vaccination rates among Black and Hispanic individuals.
Report Addresses Causes of Disparities
Certain populations were disproportionately affected by the pandemic. An HHS issue brief examines disparities and offers approaches to achieve health equity.
Other Information You Can Use
We Still Have Work to Do
An important way for AAFP to honor NMHM is to recognize that we still have work to do to address racism and inequalities in patient care. We are focused on improving existing health care processes that negatively affect minority communities. Our advocacy is critical to ensure the health care system works for everyone.
Browse the topics below for resources you can use to support your practice.