|
| May 25, 2006 |
“Minority Women’s Health Professional Leadership Summit”
Longworth House Office Building , Room 1116
Washington , D.C.
May 25th, 2006
Final Agenda |
Office
on Women's Health (OWH)/LUPUS Project
| January 30, 2003
- |
"Improving
the Health of Hispanic Women with Lupus: Recommendations for
Education and Research" Agenda
National Hispanic Medical Association
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office on Women's Health
Hubert Humphrey Building
Washington, DC 20201
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There is a lack
of knowledge among the public and health care providers about Systemic
Lupus Erythematosus (SLE ) or Lupus. Lupus is a chronic inflammatory
disease that affects approximately 1.4 million Americans, primarily
women between the ages of 15-44. It is more commonly diagnosed in
women of color with African American women being 2-3 times more
affected. The DHHS Office on Women's Health (OWH) in partnership
with NHMA has sought to bring awareness and understanding to the
community about Lupus in the Hispanic community. The OWH nationwide
strategic plan involves heightened public awareness and understanding
of lupus as a major public health issue. Research statistics have
indicated that people living in lower income households, women of
color, and those living in rural areas without access to medical
specialists are more likely to go undiagnosed, incur more damage
due to the disease and have less access to appropriate medications
and treatments.
The purpose of the project is to foster the development of lupus
education programs within the minority medical professional organizations.
In accordance with its goals to decrease health disparities and
increase education about issues involving the health of minorities
and women, a meeting of experts to address the problem of Lupus
was held in Washington, D.C. in Sept. 2002. National experts from
across the country in the field of OB-GYN, Rheumatology, and Internal
Medicine who have experience in the management of Hispanic Lupus
patients were invited. NHMA coordinated this meeting and was co-hosted
by OWH with other key DHHS agencies such as NIH in Washington, D.C.
and other stakeholders in Hispanic health such as the staff of the
Congressional Hispanic Caucus. The goals of this project are to
develop priorities to improve Lupus education and research targeted
at the Hispanic community and to develop a report based on the recommendations
from this meeting.
The OW H sponsored
a meeting of Hispanic physicians to discuss the management and treatment
of Latina patients with Lupus and issues for future policy and research
on January 30, 2003.
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