The Office of Minority Health works to eliminate differences in health status between racial and ethnic minority and non-minority populations by providing leadership and guidance on best ways to address racial and ethnic health disparity and specific health needs of racial and ethnic minority groups.
Mission:
To provide leadership to reduce health inequities in minority communities of Columbus and its surrounding areas.
Vision:
The office ultimately envisions a society where the opportunity for health equity exists for all persons and ideally, eliminates the social and economic barriers to good health.
Office of Minority Health 4 Core Work Areas
- Monitor and report the health status of minority population
- Inform, educate, and empower people to make choice about their healt
- Mobilize community partnerships
- Develop policies and plans to support health efforts
What do we mean by "Disparities"?
- Health Disparities
are the differences in rates of disease, health outcomes and access to healthcare found between different groups of people.
- Healthcare Disparities
are the differences in the quality of care received by different groups.
- Health Equity
is a basic principle of public health - that all people have a right to health. Racial and ethnic minorities tend to receive a lower quality of healthcare than non-minorities, even when other factors are the same, such as insurance and income.
Minority Health Advisory Committee
The Columbus Office of Minority Health Advisory Committee meets quarterly and is charged with setting up opportunities within the community to address issues surrounding minority health. Learn more...
Minority Health Month - April
In 1989, the Ohio Commission on Minority Health developed the concept of a high-visibility campaign designed to focus on heath awareness and disease prevention. This 30-day campaign consists of numerous activities designed to bring participation of minorities or providers of health services to minority populations. In 2000, Minority Health Month became a national celebration.
Ohio Commission on Minority Health Partnership
Created in 1987, the Ohio Commission on Minority Health serves as the lead agency for six local offices in Ohio:
- Columbus
- Dayton
- Cleveland
- Akron
- Toledo
- Youngstown
National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities (NPA)
The National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities (NPA) is intended to lead local offices of minority health and its partners toward a shared destination: a nation free of health disparities, with quality health outcomes among racial and ethnic minority populations. The NPA is an initiative of the US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health in partnership with a broad, diverse array of partners.
Key NPA Documents
The Effective and Empowered Health Care Consumer Workshop
Become An Active Partner in Your Health Care. It Leads To Better Health.
This workshop gives you the tools you need to partner with your doctor by preparing for your visit, what to do while at your visit, and how to follow-up after your visit. Learn more...
Evaluation of the Local Office
Evaluation is an integral part of all planning efforts. When we conceptualize, write, or implement a program we should pay attention to evaluation very closely. This becomes more important for health programs as stakeholders, funders, and legislators demand more accountability, and as staff and administrators want to know more about the implementation and effectiveness of their programs.
The Ohio Commission on Minority Health (OCMH) funded a Research and Evaluation Enhancement Program (REEP) to bring together Ohio evaluation experts who have experience evaluating culturally diverse health research projects.