Conversations in Equity Posts

Conversations in Equity is a collection of blogs dedicated to increasing the awareness of health inequities. We share stories on how partnerships help address health disparities to ultimately achieve our vision of ensuring all people have an opportunity to live as healthy as possible.

Give Your Community a Boost!

Communities play an integral role in many aspects of our lives. The COVID-19 pandemic has served as a case study for how resilient we can be and our determination to stay connected to our communities even during these challenging times. In April, we acknowledge National Minority Health Month (NMHM) to bring awareness to health disparities Read More >

April 18, 2022 by Eman Jibrel, MPH and Jennifer (Jenna) Seymour, PhD2 Comments

CDC, COVID-19, Health Equity, Public Health

Stories from the Field: The White Earth Nation

“We dreamed of saving lives, and we worked to make that dream come true.” These are the words Dr. Carson Gardner, White Earth Tribal Health Department Medical Director, shared during an interview with CDC about the remarkable success the White Earth Public Health team experienced with vaccinating their fellow community members – The White Earth Read More >

March 17, 2022 by Julia Henry, Anya Kushwaha, and Averie Lico5 Comments

CDC, COVID-19, Health Equity, Public Health

Looking Forward: Key Milestones in Health Equity!

Group of people celebrating end of year.

The year is coming to an end and many of us are looking ahead to what 2022 holds. Here, in the United States, many of us are vaccinated and safely reuniting with our loved ones. Holiday traditions are commencing in person once again and the new year is quickly approaching. Before writing those new year’s Read More >

December 14, 2021 by Eman Jibrel, MPH5 Comments

CDC, COVID-19, Health Equity, Public Health

CDC, COVID-19, Health Equity, Inclusion, Public Health

National Minority Health Month: Promoting Fair Access to Health

“Recognizing that health is the key to progress and equity in all other things,” said Tuskegee Institute founder Booker T. Washington, who proposed the observance of “National Negro Health Week” in 1915. Washington called on local health departments, schools, churches, businesses, professional associations, and the most influential organizations in the African American community to “pull Read More >

April 28, 2021 by Eman Jibrel, MPH, Tiffany Brunson, PhD, JD, and Yvonne Garcia BA6 Comments

COVID-19, Health Equity, Preventive Care

Promoting and Protecting the Health of Women: Saving Lives by Preventing Drug Overdoses

“Here’s your script”, the doctor said to me [Karin], as he handed me a refill for an opioid medication at a post-surgical follow-up visit. This action caught me off guard. I was fortunate that my pain had been short-lived and easily controlled, and I hadn’t finished the initial round of medications I was given. Thankfully, Read More >

October 7, 2020 by Karin A. Mack, PhD and Natasha Underwood, PhDLeave a comment

Preventive Care, Substance Abuse Prevention, Women's Health

Physical Inactivity is More Common among Racial and Ethnic Minorities in Most States

Join Active People, Healthy NationSM to help more people become physically active. Too many adults are inactive, and inactivity levels differ notably by race and ethnicity. These facts make me all the more committed to the success of Active People, Healthy NationSM, CDC’s new initiative to make it easier for people to be physically active Read More >

April 1, 2020 by Janet E. Fulton, PhD, Chief of CDC’s Physical Activity and Health Branch in the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity2 Comments

Health Equity, Healthy Weight, Preventive Care

Promoting and protecting the health of women and girls: In celebration of the Office of Women’s Health on their 25th Anniversary!

Congratulations to CDC’s Office of Women’s Health (OWH) on celebrating 25 years! That’s 25 years of promoting public health research, evidence-based programs, policies, and strategies that improve the health and safety of all women and girls. It is quite an accomplishment. The Division of Reproductive Health (DRH) is pleased to have collaborated with OWH throughout Read More >

May 15, 2019 by RADM Wanda Barfield, M.D., M.P.H., FAAP11 Comments

Health Equity, Women's Health

Addressing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities in Adult Obesity and Encouraging Physical Activity this National Minority Health Month

Every person should be able to reach his or her full health potential. I’m proud of the work we do in CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) to support Americans’ journey to good health—especially among people most vulnerable to chronic disease. We protect the health of Americans at every stage of life by encouraging regular physical activity and good nutrition, helping to prevent obesity in children and adults, and addressing barriers to treating obesity in children. Read More >

April 24, 2019 by Ruth Petersen, MD, MPHLeave a comment

Health Equity, Healthy Weight

Mission Possible: A Year in Review

As a long-time scientist and physician, I’ve treated patients in a range of environments – from U.S. cities and military bases, to sub-Saharan Africa and Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in 2010. Throughout those experiences, I saw firsthand the impact that health disparities could have on health outcomes. That’s why – even Read More >

January 2, 2019 by Dr. Robert R. Redfield, Director, CDC and Administrator, ATSDR4 Comments

Health Equity

Mission Possible: Reducing Disparities in Preterm Births in the United States

In 2001, a woman was transported to a Georgia hospital in preterm labor. She delivered a baby boy at 34 weeks gestation, six weeks before her due date. However, before this baby’s early birth, she was given medications to help her baby’s lungs mature more rapidly, and to slow down the labor. After her baby Read More >

November 1, 2018 by RADM Wanda Barfield, M.D., M.P.H., FAAP3 Comments

Health Equity, Preventive Care, Women's Health