Healthy people analysis: Nation's overall health improves, but disparities persist

Minorities and low-income groups continue to be less likely to have a regular source of medical care, despite a decade of efforts to reverse this circumstance.

Kaiser Health News: Disparities Cloud Health Improvements In Past Decade, Report Finds
Minority and low-income groups continue to be less likely to have a regular source of health care when compared to the general population, despite efforts over the past decade to remedy the situation. This and other health disparities persist across race, ethnicity, income level and education, according to the final review of Healthy People 2010, which was released Thursday (Torres, 10/6).

The Connecticut Mirror: Healthy People: Nation's Health Improved, But Disparities Persist
Smoking rates decreased, cancer deaths fell and fatal cases of coronary heart disease dropped in the U.S. during the first decade of the 21st century. But racial and ethnic disparities in health persisted, and across the board, obesity grew dramatically, federal and state officials said Thursday during a webinar to review Healthy People 2010, a set of public health objectives for the country. Through the Healthy People initiative, health officials have released a set of national public health objectives every 10 years since 1980 (Levin Becker, 10/6).

In related news:

Kaiser Health News: Capsules: Researchers Press For More Action On Health Disparities
As Susan Dentzer, the editor in chief of the journal Health Affairs, was opening a public briefing today on a special issue dedicated to the state of health care disparities in the country, she warned the audience members they 'might need a strong dose of Valium' to handle some of the bleak assessments of the racial gap in care (Kulkarni, 10/6).