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Disparity in Health Education: Health Literacy Task Force

Health disparity is defined as “a disproportionate health burden for a segment of the population, as compared to the total population.” Health disparity refers to differences in health, the delivery of health services, and/or the utilization of health services due to differences that may occur by gender, race, ethnicity, education, income, disability, geographic location, and sexual orientation.

By focusing on health education improvement efforts and proactively pursuing legislative advocacy related to health and well-being, we can eliminate health care disparities in the Erie community.

Health Education

Health education focuses on improving personal health and is defined by Healthy People 2010 as “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.” The SHIP is focusing on improving health education in the Erie community through:

  • Culturally sensitive, audience appropriate, and easy-to-understand health literacy materials on chronic diseases, maternal, and child issues
  • Establishing Health Education Centers within neighborhood health clinics to provide trustworthy health information to consumers, community agencies, and the general public
  • Establishment of best practices, for example, the Faith in Action/Parish Nursing concept, which involves local community churches and their current “parish nurses” providing health education, mentoring, and support on-site at community churches as well as at local medical sites
  • Creating a comprehensive marketing plan for educational health care material dissemination, targeting underserved areas
  • Creation of Chronic Disease Management Groups to be instituted in community settings across Erie County
  • Implementation of a Peer Educator Model, where individuals with common disease issues act as “peer supports” for those going through the same medical crisis

Legislative Advocacy: Board of Directors

Our board of directors is committed to ensuring that we have a comprehensive approach to our service delivery system. Therefore, the position of Legislative Advocate was created. This volunteer position will ensure that those difficult policy issues facing our local, state, and national areas regarding health care will have the input of the local Erie SHIP when being formulated or redefined. Those key areas of legislative interest include:

  • Improvements in access to existing programs
  • Health insurance of individuals who do not meet the requirements for other programs
  • Medical loan forgiveness programs
  • Greater participation of minorities in policy development
  • Medical professional scope of practice reform
  • Changing the malpractice insurance model – tort reform

The initiatives outlined above are a sampling of what we are working to accomplish in Erie County throughout the next five years. However, we can’t reach our goal of eliminating health care disparities without the collaboration of caring individuals throughout our community. If you are interested in becoming involved with the Disparity Health Education: Health Literacy Task Force, please contact us.

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