BROWN BAG SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP MEETING V: MEASURING HEALTH DISPARITIES, SPONSORED BY THE SPR DIVERSITY NETWORK COMMITTEE

Healthy People 2020 defines health disparity as a “particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage”. Health disparities adversely affect groups of people who have systematically experienced greater obstacles to health based on their racial or ethnic group; religion; socioeconomic status; gender; age; mental health; cognitive, sensory, or physical disability; sexual orientation or gender identity; geographic location; or other characteristics historically linked to discrimination or exclusion. One way communities address health disparity is by adherence to the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care (The National CLAS Standards). National CLAS Standards are intended to advance health equity, improve quality, and help eliminate health care disparities by providing a blueprint for individuals and health and health care organizations to implement culturally and linguistically appropriate services. This brown bag will discuss the challenges in accurately measuring adherence to the CLAS standards and how adherence impacts reductions in health disparities.