April is recognized as National Minority Health Month, an observance that brings awareness to health disparities and encourages action through education, early detection, and disease control.
Health disparities refer to preventable differences in health that are experienced by socially disadvantaged populations, and health equity is when everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible, including getting the care and support they need to achieve optimal health.
There are a lot of factors that contribute to health disparities, like access to high-quality education and medical care, safe neighborhoods and housing, and economic stability. Groups who have poor social determinants of health are more likely to be diagnosed with and die from diseases.
