About the Center
The Center For Closing The Health Gap In Greater Cincinnati is a non-profit corporation tax exempt under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code.
Vision
A Healthier Region for All
Mission
To lead the efforts to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities in Greater Cincinnati through advocacy, education, and community outreach.
The Approach
The community must be mobilized toward strategic action and a unified approach.The key to eliminating these disparities in the region is a collaborative initiative among health providers, community-based organizations, and the business community. According to a report by The Institute of Medicine, racial and ethnic disparities are caused by a variety of overlying factors including social and environmental conditions, access to care and the structural aspects of the health care system. By collaborating with a variety of professional sectors and disciplines, The Center For Closing The Health Gap can help identify regional solutions to this complex health problem and unify the efforts of its partner organizations.
At present, The Center maximizes collaborative opportunities by working with organizations, associations, health institutions, and other stakeholders to promote health and disease prevention. Click here to view a list of The Center’s community partners.
Awareness
According to the University of Cincinnati’s Institute for Public Policy, less than 50% of people participating in a statewide poll regarding health disparities were aware of the problem. The Center’s first task is to inform the general population that health disparities exist and to educate the public of their impact on society.
What is a health disparity? Congress has defined health disparity as “a significant disparity in the overall rate of disease incidence, prevalence, morbidity, mortality or survival rate” in a specific group of people as compared to the general population.
The Center promotes awareness about health disparities through education, training, and outreach activities for organizations and individuals.