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  1. Minority Health and Health Equity

Minority Health and Health Equity Resources

 

FDA Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE) offers many easy-to-use and culturally-appropriate resources on minority health, health disparities, and related topics. These resources are available to view online, print, or share. Some are available in Spanish and other foreign languages. Additional resources are also available on the Minority Health and Health Equity Resources Catalog page.

Resources by Health Topic

Alzheimer's Disease

Asthma

Cancer

Chagas Disease

Clinical Trials

COVID-19

Diabetes

Health Disparities

Health Fraud

Heart Disease

Hepatitis

HIV/AIDS

Hypertension

Immunization

Kidney Disease

Language Access Plan

Lupus

Nutrition and Obesity

Rural Health

Safe Medicine Use

Sickle Cell Disease

Skin Facts! What You Need to Know About Skin Lightening Products

Stroke

 Tobacco

 

 

Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, irreversible brain disorder that affects memory, thinking, and language skills. Over time, people living with Alzheimer’s disease may become unable to carry out daily activities. African American and Hispanic/Latino populations are disproportionately affected.

Alzheimer's Disease Fact Sheet

Alzheimer's Disease Brochure: Maintaining Mental Function

Alzheimer's Disease Infographics

  • You may be at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease
  • 10 signs of Alzheimer's disease

Consumer Updates:

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Videos:

Watch Out for False Promises About So-Called Alzheimer’s Cures

Other Resources:

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Asthma

Asthma is a chronic (long-term) condition that affects the lungs. More than 24 million people in the United States have asthma, and nearly 6 million of them are children. African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos, especially Puerto Ricans, are at higher risk of asthma than people of other races or ethnicities.

Asthma Fact Sheet | En Español

Asthma Brochure: Steps to control your asthma

Asthma Infographic: Over 24 million people in the United States have asthma

Consumer Updates:

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Other Resources:

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Cancer

Health disparities persist in cancer research despite significant progress in cancer treatment.

Subscribe to FDA's Office of Hematology and Oncology Products Email Updates - select "Oncology Drugs" under the "Drugs" category.

Colorectal Cancer Fact Sheet

Colorectal Cancer Brochure: Stages and treatment

Colorectal Cancer Infographics

  • What is colorectal cancer?
  • Colorectal cancer screening tests

Lung Cancer and Smoking

Consumer Updates:

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Videos:

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Chagas Disease

Chagas Disease is a parasitic infection that primarily affects people living in rural parts of Latin America, and about 300,000 people in the U.S.

Chagas Disease Fact Sheet | En Español

First U.S. Treatment for Chagas disease - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today granted accelerated approval to benznidazole for use in children ages 2 to 12 years old with Chagas disease. It is the first treatment approved in the United States for the treatment of Chagas disease.

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Clinical Trial Diversity

Clinical trials are research studies involving human volunteers to evaluate medical products like medications, vaccines, or devices for safety and effectiveness. Ensuring people from diverse backgrounds join clinical trials is key to advancing health equity.

Clinical Trial Diversity - Participants in clinical trials should represent the patients that will use the medical products. This is often not the case—people from racial and ethnic minority and other diverse groups are underrepresented in clinical research.

About Research Participation - Find information about research and research participation.

Fact Sheet: Clinical Trial Diversity | En Español

Brochure: Research Needs You | En Español

Infographics | En Español

  • 4 ways to be a #ClinicalTrialsChampion
  • Questions to ask before joining a clinical trial

Drug Trials Snapshots- Find information about who participated in clinical trials for new drugs. Diversity in Clinical Trial Participation- It is important to test drugs and medical products in the people they are meant to help.

ClinicalTrials.gov (an online database of clinical trials managed by NIH) and what you can expect to find.

Consumer Updates:

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FDA Voices, Interviews, and Outreach:

Videos:

Medical Device Clinical Trials

Latinos Can Make A Difference

 

Inclusion of Veterans in Clinical Trials: Quinyardo McClain

Inclusion of Veterans in Clinical Trials: Zulma Santiago

 

Diversity is Critical to Making Better Medical Products (Short)

Diversity is Critical to Making Better Medical Products (Long)

 

Getting Access to Cutting Edge Therapies

You Don't Have to be Sick to Participate

 

How to Find Information about Clinical Trials

Other Resources:

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COVID-19

FDA is working with U.S. Government partners, including CDC, and international partners to address the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

COVID.gov

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Multilingual COVID-19 Resources

Toolkits:

Videos:

 

American Sign Language

American Sign Language

 

Spanish

Spanish

 

Chinese Simplified

Chinese Traditional

 

Tagalog

Vietnamese

 

Korean

Navajo

 

Cherokee

 

Other Resources:

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Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that happens when your blood sugar level is too high. An estimated 30 million people in the United States are living with diabetes. About 1 in 4 people living with diabetes don’t know they have it. Diabetes disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities and other diverse groups.

Subscribe to email updates about diabetes - select "Diabetes" under the "Disease and Conditions" category

Diabetes Fact Sheet

Diabetes Brochure: Living with type 2 diabetes

Diabetes Infographics

  • What is type 2 diabetes?
  • Diabetes and older adults

Diabetes and Tobacco Use

Consumer Updates:

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Videos:

Diabetes 101

Other Resources:

The National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) works with partners to reduce the burden of prediabetes and diabetes, and prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes and the complications of diabetes.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK) has great resources on diabetes for individuals, health care professionals, organizations and communities.

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Health Disparities

Racial and ethnic minorities frequently experience health disparities—differences in health that are associated with genetic, social, economic, and environmental disadvantages.

National Minority Health Month (NMHM) 2022

FDA Office of Minority Health and Health Equity 10-Year Anniversary

Consumer Updates:

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Health Fraud

Health fraud refer to products that claim to prevent, treat, or cure diseases or other health conditions, but are not proven safe and effective for those uses.

Subscribe to email updates about health fraud - select "Health Fraud Scams" under the "Recalls and Safety Alerts" category.

Tobacco-Related Health Fraud - All tobacco products are harmful to your health, despite what they taste, smell, or look like.

Consumer Updates:

Videos:

Watch Out for False Promises About So-Called Alzheimer's Cures

 

Not All Imported Products Sold as “Supplements” Are Safe

English

Spanish 

 

Vietnamese 

Tagalog 

 

Chinese 

Korean 

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Heart Disease

Heart disease refers to several conditions that affect the heart. In the United States, it affects more than 1 in 10 adults and is the leading cause of death for people of most racial and ethnic groups.

Subscribe to email updates about cardiovascular disease - select "Cardiovascular Disease" under the "Disease and Conditions" category.

Heart Disease Fact Sheet

Heart Disease Brochure: Managing your heart disease

Heart Disease Infographic: What is heart disease?

Note Card: Follow the ABCs |  En Español - Reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke.

The Journal of Clinical Hypertension: Disparities in Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease in African Americans - African Americans are two to three times as likely as whites to die of preventable heart disease and stroke.

Heart Health and Smoking - Most people think smoking only impacts the lungs. The truth is that smoking can hurt any part of your body, including your heart.

Consumer Updates:

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Other Resources:

  • Million Hearts - The national initiative to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes over 5 years.

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Hepatitis

Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver; it can cause scarring of the liver, cancer, and/or organ failure. The disease affects significant amounts of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders (50% of Americans with Hepatitis B) and African Americans (25% of Americans with Hepatitis C).

Subscribe to the hepatitis email updates - select "Hepatitis" under the "Disease and Conditions" category.

Hepatitis B Fact Sheet

Hepatitis B Brochure: Know your status and treat hepatitis B

Hepatitis B Infographics

  • How is chronic hepatitis B treated?
  • How is it spread?

Lecture: Advances in Hepatitis C Treatmen t- (2015) Hepatitis C specialist Dr. Charles D. Howell discusses recent advances in treatment.Consumer Updates: 

HIV and Hepatitis: Know Your Status and Learn About the FDA's Role - Health outcomes can be different among diverse ethnic and racial groups.

Faster, Easier Cures for Hepatitis C - Advances in drug treatments help people living with hepatitis C live longer, healthier lives without the virus.

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FDA Voice:

Other Resources:

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HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS can affect anyone regardless of sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, gender or age; but certain groups are at higher risk for HIV/AIDS.

Subscribe to the HIV/AIDS email updates - select "HIV/AIDS" under the "Disease and Conditions" category.

HIV Fact Sheet

HIV Brochure: Living longer and healthier with HIV

HIV Infographics

  • Three things to know about HIV treatment
  • What is PrEP and is it right for you?

Get Tested - National HIV, STD, and Hepatitis testing location database.

Consumer Updates:

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Videos:

Equity of Voices Video Series

 

 

 

Other Resources:

HIV.gov - The federal government's leading source for information about HIV.

CDC HIV/AIDS - The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has resources on HIV/AIDS ranging from information for different groups of people, risk and prevention, and testing locations.

AIDSinfo - The National Institute of Health (NIH) offers the latest research and treatment information for patients and providers.

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Hypertension

Hypertension (high blood pressure) happens when blood flows through your arteries at higher-than-normal pressures over time. This makes the heart and blood vessels work harder and less efficiently.

Hypertension Fact Sheet

Hypertension Brochure: Control your high blood pressure

Hypertension Infographics

  • Steps to prevent high blood pressure
  • Limit the American Heart Association’s “Salty Six”—Popular Foods That Can Add High Levels of Sodium to Your Diet

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Immunization

Immunization happens when a person becomes protected against a disease through vaccination. Getting vaccinated is one of the safest and most effective ways of preventing infectious diseases.

Vaccines - Vaccines, as with all products regulated by FDA, undergo a rigorous review of laboratory and clinical data to ensure the safety, efficacy, purity and potency of these products.

Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) - If you or someone you know experiences an adverse event (side effect) after being immunized, report the event to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).

Immunization Fact Sheet

Immunization Brochure: Vaccine Basics

Immunization Infographic: What is immunization?

Consumer Updates:

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Other Resources:

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Kidney Disease

African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians are at higher risk for developing kidney failure. This risk is due to the high rates of diabetes and high blood pressure in these communities.

Webinar: Clinical Trials and Kidney Disease- Learn why minorities and clinical trials matters.

Blog:

Podcast:

Other Resources:

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK) has great resources on kidneys for individuals, health care professionals, organizations and communities.

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Language Access Plan

FDA wants to ensure that all Americans, including those with a limited ability to communicate in English, can access important health information.

Language Access Program - oversee implementation of the Language Access Plan: an evolving blueprint to provide people with limited English proficiency easy access to health information in a language and manner that they understand.

Consumer Updates:

  • FDA Broadens it's Vocabulary - Learn about the new FDA initiative connecting Americans who don't speak English well or at all to valuable, culturally appropriate health information.

Other Resources:

The U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) is the world's largest biomedical library, offering resources on a wide range of topics in both print and electronic format.

  • Medline Plus - Get access to health information in multiple languages

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Lupus

Lupus is a disease that can damage many parts of the body including the joints, skin, kidneys, heart, lungs, blood vessels, and brain. African American, Latina, and Native American women have the highest rates of the disease.

Let's Take Charge! | En Español - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (HHS OMH) has joined forces with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (FDA OMHHE) to launch the Let’s Take Charge! Campaign, an initiative to make lupus research more inclusive and diverse.

Lupus Fact Sheet | En Español

Lupus Brochure | En Español

Lupus Infographic | En Español

Consumer Updates:

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Other Resources:

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Nutrition and Obesity

Obesity is a risk factor in several disease. Find FDA resources on nutrition labels, a tool that will help you build a healthy diet.

Labeling and Nutrition - Food labeling is required for most prepared foods, such as breads, cereals, canned and frozen foods, snacks, desserts, drinks, etc.

Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label - Highlights of the final nutrition facts label.

Consumer Updates:

  • Nutrition - View full list of nutrition related consumer updates.
  • Nutrition Basics Help Fight Child Obesity - With childhood obesity levels at an all-time high, parents, schools—even whole communities—are getting behind the movement to help young people eat healthier.

Other Resources:

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Rural Health

Rural health is the health of people living in rural areas, who generally are located farther from health care facilities and other services than people living in urban areas.

Rural Health Fact Sheet

Rural Health Infographic: What is rural health?

FDA Rural Health Symposium

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Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder in the U.S. It primarily affects African Americans (1 in 365) and Hispanics (1 in 16,300).

Sickle Cell Disease Fact Sheet | En Español

Sickle Cell Disease Brochure | En Español

Sickle Cell Disease Infographic | En Español

Lecture: Update on Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Patient with Sickle Cell Disease - (2019) Courtney Fitzhugh, M.D. discuss her current sickle cell research and Jennifer, an author, speaker and advocate for chronic diseases will talk about her experience being cured of sickle cell disease and multiple sclerosis through stem cell transplant.

Blood Advances Manuscript: Haploidentical Peripheral Blood Stem Transplantation (PBSCT) for Sickle Cell Disease

Consumer Updates:

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Videos:

Sickle Cell Disease: Encouraging New Treatments

Shirley’s Story: Diversity is Critical to Making Better Medical Products

Other Resources:

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Skin Facts! What You Need to Know About Skin Lightening Products

The Skin Facts! Initiative alerts consumers of potentially harmful over-the-counter (OTC) skin products containing hydroquinone or mercury. These products are sometimes called skin lightening products and are not FDA approved for over-the-counter sale.

Skin Facts! Resources

Skin Facts! Partner Toolkit

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Videos:

English

Spanish

 

 

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Safe Medicine Use

When used as directed, medicines can treat health problems and help you live a long, healthy life. Find information about medication safety and answers to common question about quality and effectiveness.

Note Card: 3 Options for Safe Drug Disposal | En Español - Use a take back-program, flush-it when appropriate, trash-it when indicated.

Generic Drugs: Q & A - Answers to common questions about generic drugs, including appearance, effectiveness, cost, and other related topics.

Generic Drugs Patient Education Resources - Infographics, brochures, handouts, posters, presentations, PSAs, and articles about generic drugs for educators, health care professionals, and consumers.

Consumer Updates:

Video:

Do generics work the same as brand-name medicines?

Are generics as safe, effective, and high quality as brand-name medicines?

 

How are generics and brand-name medicines the same?

Meet Blue: Generic Medications PSA

Graphics:

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Stroke

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of serious disability in the United States. Racial and ethnic minority and other diverse groups are at greater risk for death or disability due to stroke.

Stroke Fact Sheet

Stroke Brochure: Understanding stroke treatment

Stroke Infographic What is a stroke?

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Tobacco

Tobacco use can cause premature death and disease. Find information tailored for multicultural communities.

Subscribe to email updates about tobacco - select the "Tobacco" category.

Tobacco - Learn more about FDA's tobacco resources. You and your loved ones can contact the Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) with questions about tobacco at AskCTP@fda.gov.

Consumer Updates:

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Fresh Empire:

Fresh Empire Campaign - Fresh Empire launched in 2015 with the goal of preventing and reducing tobacco use among at-risk youth

Fresh Empire Campaign Resources - Find fact sheets, social media toolkits, posters, and postcards that help raise awareness about risks associated with tobacco.

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Office of Minority Health

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1-888-INFO-FDA
1-888-463-6332

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10903 New Hampshire Ave
Silver Spring, MD 20993
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