Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions

The Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions (HCHDS) is an organization that strives to eradicate disparities in health and health care among racial and ethnic groups, socioeconomic groups, and geopolitical categories such as urban, rural, and suburban populations. By incorporating the comprehensive use of research, training, advocacy, policy formulation, community partnerships, and outreach, the HCHDS is working to generate and disseminate knowledge to reduce and eliminate racial/ethnic and social class disparities in health and health care.

Mission Objective

The objective of the center is to conduct multidisciplinary basic and translational research with the goals of advancing knowledge on the causes of health and health care disparities and developing interventions to eliminate them. The HCHDS works collaboratively with community- based organizations, historically black colleges, and minority serving institutions to carryout the work of the center. Although much of the actual work takes place in the local Baltimore, Maryland community, the center has a national focus.

History

The HCHDS was established in October of 2002 with 5-year grant from the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD), of the National Institutes of Health under the Centers of Excellence in Partnerships for Community Outreach, Research on Health Disparities, and Training program (Project EXPORT). HCHDS has collaborated with JHU- based organizational entities as well as the National Institute on Aging, Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology of the Gerontology Research Center; Shaw University; Operation Reach Out South West (OROSW); and Nora, LLC. In 2007, the HCHDS was awarded a second 5- year grant to continue its efforts in promoting better health and equality in health care.

Publications

Twice a year the HCHDS provides a newsletter detailing the activities and events held by the HCHDS.

Notable Persons

Thomas LaVeist, PhD, Executive Director

External Links

Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions

National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities