NIH Health Disparities Seminar Series – January 2012
The National Institutes of Health welcomes Dr. Claudia R. Baquet as the featured speaker for the NIH Health Disparities Seminar Series on January 19, 2012.
Health disparities are a serious problem in rural America. Rural areas, including Appalachia, report higher rates of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer than the general public. Similar to other health disparity populations, poor health outcomes are attributed to higher proportions of older, poorer, and less-educated persons in rural areas. However, the obstacles faced by health care providers and patients in these areas are vastly different than those in urban areas. Distance to health care facilities, transportation problems, rural poverty, lack of access to specialty services, loss of health coverage, exposure to pesticides and other toxins, and the lack of timely access to new technologies prevent rural Americans from obtaining prevention services and treatment necessary for optimum health. (Click here for abstract)
In her presentation, Dr. Claudia R. Baquet will discuss a replicable model for addressing rural health disparities. The model involves collaborative research efforts between scientific researchers and community members, engaging the community in advocacy and policy efforts, and using evidence-based intervention programs informed by rural disparities research on chronic diseases and telehealth, clinical trials, research ethics, and bioethics. Dr. Baquet's presentation will help us understand the unique challenges facing health care providers and patients from rural populations by examining some of the policy implications and issues of trust involved in conducting research in rural communities.
Dr. Baquet is Associate Dean of Policy and Planning and Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine. She also serves as the Director of the Bioethics Research Infrastructure Center at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine. An advocate for quality health care among all Americans, Dr. Baquet was Deputy Assistant Secretary of Health (Minority Health) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from 1992-1994. At NIH, she was Associate Director for Cancer Control Science and Chief of the Special Populations Research at the National Cancer Institute. Currently, she is the principal investigator on the National Bioethics Research Infrastructure grant and the principal investigator on the Social Determinants of Health Rural Telehealth study funded by the NIMHD.
Dr. Baquet's research related to the health needs, clinical trials research, and models of care for the medically underserved and minority communities has been well-recognized. Among her numerous accolades is the NIH Director's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Special Award for "Closing the Health Gap in Communities We Serve," and in November, 2011, the Maryland Governor's Cancer Commission presented Dr. Baquet with the Abeloff Award for Excellence in Cancer Research, Public Health, and Cancer Control.
Rural Health Disparities: The Interface of Research, Policy, and Public Trust
Dr. Claudia R. Baquet (Click here for bio)
Associate Dean, Policy and Planning
Professor of Medicine
Director, Bioethics Research Infrastructure Center
University of Maryland, School of Medicine
Thursday, January 19, 2012
2:00 - 3:30 P.M.
Seminar Video Recording:
Click here to view January’s video recorded seminar.
Natcher Conference Center, Balcony A
45 Center Drive
Additional Information: There is limited parking on the NIH campus. The closest Metro is Medical Center. Please allow adequate time for security check. The seminar will be videocast and made available in the NIH Video archives and on the NIMHD website after the seminar. Sign language interpreters will be provided. Individuals with disabilities who need reasonable accommodation to participate should contact Edgar Dews at 301-402-1366 and/or the Federal Relay (1-800-877-8339).