Key points
- A health disparity is the occurrence of diseases at greater levels among certain population groups more than among others.
- Differences in health disparities may occur by gender, race or ethnicity, education, income, disability, geographic location and sexual orientation.
- Social determinants of health like poverty, unequal access to health care, lack of education, stigma, and racism are linked to health disparities.
Who's affected
Find information about how these diseases affect Black or African American populations.
Find information about how these diseases affect American Indian or Alaska Native populations.
Find information about how these diseases affect Asian populations.
Find information about how these diseases affect Hispanic or Latino populations.
How HIV, STDs, viral hepatitis, and TB affect Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders
What CDC is doing to reduce health disparities
CDC is developing future priorities and identifying best practices for addressing societal factors that increase risk for HIV, viral hepatitis, STDs and tuberculosis. The goal of these efforts is to help reduce health disparities and promote health equity. For more information, visit NCHHSTP's Social Determinants of Health website.
Resources
Minority health links
- Office of Minority Health and Human Disparities (CDC)
- Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) (National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC)
- Office of Minority Health (Department of Health and Human Services)
- National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIH)
- Minority Health (AHRQ)
Women’s health links
- Office of Women's Health (CDC)
- WISEWOMAN (National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC)
- The Office on Women's Health (Department of Health and Human Services)
- Women's Health (HRSA)
- Resources for Women's Health (AHRQ)
Health disparities
- Healthy People 2030 (Department of Health and Human Services)
- NCHHSTP Social Determinants of Health
- CDC Social Determinants of Health
Populations at risk
- Indian Health Service (Department of Health and Human Services)
- Correctional Health
- Persons Who Inject Drugs
- U.S. Public Health Service Syphilis Study at Tuskegee