A participatory action research pilot study of urban health disparities using rapid assessment response and evaluation.
Healthy People 2010 made it a priority to eliminate health disparities. We used a rapid assessment response and evaluation (RARE) to launch a program of participatory action research focused on health disparities in an urban, disadvantaged Black community serviced by a major south Florida health center. We formed partnerships with community members, identified local health disparities, and guided interventions targeting health disparities. We describe the RARE structure used to triangulate data sources and guide intervention plans as well as findings and conclusions drawn from scientific literature and epidemiological, historic, planning, clinical, and ethnographic data. Disenfranchisement and socioeconomic deprivation emerged as the principal determinants of local health disparities and the most appropriate targets for intervention.
Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, PO Box 016700, Miami, FL 33101, USA. dbrown@med.miami.edu
David Richard
DR
Brown
Agueda
A
Hernández
Gilbert
G
Saint-Jean
Siân
S
Evans
Ida
I
Tafari
Luther G
LG
Brewster
Michel J
MJ
Celestin
Carlos
C
Gómez-Estefan
Fernando
F
Regalado
Siri
S
Akal
Barry
B
Nierenberg
Elaine D
ED
Kauschinger
Robert
R
Schwartz
J Bryan
JB
Page
D003150:Community Health Workers / Q000193:education*; D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003256:Community Participation; D005431:Florida; D017144:Focus Groups; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011203:Poverty; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D019037:Urban Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014505:Urban Population