title: Performance evaluation for diversity programs.
abstract: This policy paper addresses the problem of underrepresentation of minorities in the health care professions. Projections are that by 2050 minorities will represent 49% of the U.S. population. Several notable reports suggest that the health care of underrepresented minorities is improved when providers of similar ethnic and racial backgrounds provide the care. However, minority representation in the health care professions has not kept pace with the increase of minorities in the population. A variety of groups (federal, state, private, and health professional educational institutions) have provided billions of dollars toward increasing the number of underrepresented minority health care providers. However, the effectiveness of these programs is not readily evident. Therefore, we recommend comprehensive evaluations of programs funded to increase diversity in the health professions and the development of a Minority Health Care Professionals Center to assume accountability for monitoring programs that receive funding to increase the number of underrepresented minority health care providers.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA.
authors.forename: Debra J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Anita L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: DeCorse-Johnson
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Irving-Ray
authors.forename: Wende Waggoner
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D002321:Career Choice; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D005380:Financing, Government / Q000458:organization & administration; D005544:Forecasting; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D006291:Health Policy; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010560:Personnel Selection / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000639:trends; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration; D014146:Training Support / Q000458:organization & administration; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce