title: Community Engaged Leadership to Advance Health Equity and Build Healthier Communities.
abstract: Health is a human right. Equity in health implies that ideally everyone should have a fair opportunity to attain their full health potential and, more pragmatically, that no one should be disadvantaged from achieving this potential. Addressing the multi-faceted health needs of ethnically and culturally diverse individuals in the United States is a complex issue that requires inventive strategies to reduce risk factors and buttress protective factors to promote greater well-being among individuals, families, and communities. With growing diversity concerning various ethnicities and nationalities; and with significant changes in the constellation of multiple of risk factors that can influence health outcomes, it is imperative that we delineate strategic efforts that encourage better access to primary care, focused community-based programs, multi-disciplinary clinical and translational research methodologies, and health policy advocacy initiatives that may improve individuals' longevity and quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Science, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Drive, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA; Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Drive, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA; Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Drive, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA.
authors.forename: Kisha
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Holden
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Drive, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA; Prevention Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720Westview Drive, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA.
authors.forename: Tabia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akintobi
authors.affiliation: Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Drive, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA; Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Drive, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA.
authors.forename: Jammie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hopkins
authors.affiliation: Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Drive, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA.
authors.forename: Allyson
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Belton
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Science, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Drive, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA; Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Drive, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McGregor
authors.affiliation: Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Drive, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA.
authors.forename: Starla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blanks
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Science, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Drive, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA; Satcher Health Leadership Institute, Morehouse School of Medicine, 720 Westview Drive, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA.
authors.forename: Glenda
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wrenn
keywords: community engagement; community-based participatory research; ethical leadership; health disparities; health equity; healthy communities