Press Release

HHS LAUNCHES MINORITY WOMEN’S HEALTH SUMMIT

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office on Women’s Health (OWH), in collaboration with various partners, kicked off this year’s Minority Women’s Health Summit entitled Women of Color, Taking Action for a Healthier Life: Progress, Partnerships and Possibilities at the JW Marriott in Washington, D.C.

The summit, which begins on Aug. 12 and runs for three days, is bringing more than 500 health care professionals, community leaders, academicians, advocates, and others to address health care issues for women of color.

“Many minority women face social, economic, and cultural barriers to good health,” HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said. “This summit brings together the federal government, health care professionals, the private sector, academicians, and other partners so we can find solutions to reduce disparities and improve the health of women of color.”

The 2004 summit focuses on key areas of importance in minority women's health, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS. The goals of the summit are to explore prevention strategies that work in both rural and urban communities; recommend action-oriented strategies that will increase positive health outcomes for women of color; foster community partnerships; promote strategies to diversify leadership in health sciences, education, research, and policy; and ensure that the health issues of concern to women of color remain at the forefront of national, state, and local health policy agendas.

Speakers for the summit include Rear Admiral Cristina V. Beato, M.D., FAAFP, HHS acting assistant secretary for health, who is focused on leading the Department’s efforts to reduce health disparities, combat HIV/AIDS, encourage prevention strategies for reducing chronic diseases, and advance women’s health, and Antonia Novello, M.D., New York State Health Commissioner who also was the first Hispanic Woman to serve as the U.S. Surgeon General. Additional speakers include Mary Chung-Hayashi, an award-winning author and among this country's most accomplished advocates for expanding the delivery and coverage of healthcare; Hydeia Broadbent, an AIDS activist for more than 15 years; and Lillian Tom-Orme, born and raised on the Navajo Indian reservation in New Mexico.

During the three-day summit there will be various activities and programs, including the Community Showcase Session on the Aug. 13, which will highlight successful community programs that enhance the health of women of color. In addition, there will be free health screenings on Aug. 13 and 14, and health and fitness professionals will lead a lively exercise workshop as part of the summit’s Wellness Center activities.

For more information about the summit, visit www.4woman.gov/mwhs/media.htm or call the OWH Communications Office at 202-205-2551/202-401-9586 or the JW Marriott Press Room at
(202) 624-1700.

To learn more about this year’s Minority Women’s Health Summit and the health status of minority women, access National Women’s Health Information Center’s (NWHIC) Web site at http://www.4woman.gov, or call NWHIC’s Information Referral Specialists at 1-800-994-WOMAN (-9662), or TDD 1-888-220-5446. Services are provided in both English and Spanish five days a week, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. EST.

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