Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity

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To explore opportunities for improving equitable diagnosis to reduce health disparities in the U.S., the Forum on Advancing Diagnostic Excellence at the National Academies hosted a public workshop in September 2024 in collaboration with the Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity. Speakers highlighted factors contributing to diagnostic inequities and suggested potential strategies to advance health equity through technology, education, research, and patient- and community-centered approaches.

Speakers at the workshop discussed potential strategies including using technological innovations such as remote monitoring and telehealth, improving education in cultural humility and holistic care, enhancing high quality data collection on historically underserved communities, increasing patient engagement, improving clinician communication, and strengthening community partnerships to build trust with patients. This publication highlights the presentations and discussions that occurred at the workshop.

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14 pages · 8.5 x 11 ·
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-73083-X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/28573

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Advancing Equity in Diagnostic Excellence to Reduce Health Disparities: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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As of August 2024, dozens of bills across more than half of the U.S. had introduced legislation limiting or prohibiting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts in academia. The National Academies Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity hosted a public hybrid workshop in October 2024 to explore the effects of the changing DEI legislation and policies landscape on the health care and public health workforce. Presenters gave special focus to the impact of changes on medical and public health training, curriculum, research, and recruitment, and highlighted potential solutions for mitigating adverse effects of policy changes. This Proceedings of a Workshop-in Brief highlights the presentations and discussions that occurred at the workshop.

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13 pages · 8.5 x 11 ·
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-73559-9
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/29075

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2025. Exploring the Changing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Legislation and Policy Landscape and Its Impact on Health and Public Health's Workforce, Education, Training, and Research: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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In June 2023, the National Academies Roundtable on Population Health Improvement and the Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity hosted a public workshop in Oakland, California. Speakers discussed the science and practice of measuring health equity and health disparities nationally and in communities, in health care, and in other sectors and settings.

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14 pages · 8.5 x 11 ·
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-72467-8
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/27914

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2024. Exploring the Ecosystem of Health Equity Measures: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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Between 2020-2023, many health systems and organizations created formal positions to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and health equity in response to social and health injustices and public demands for diversity and equity among executive level leadership. The National Academies Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity hosted an October 2023 public hybrid workshop to explore the successes and challenges of DEI and health equity C-suites, dimensions of DEI and health equity commitments, strategies for achieving internal and external goals, and potential metrics for measuring success.

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70 pages · 6 x 9 · paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-71504-0
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-71505-9
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/27458

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2024. Exploring Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Health Equity Commitments and Approaches by Health Organization C-Suites: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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The National Academies Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity hosted a virtual public workshop in July 2023 to discuss the premise, history, and development of race-based clinical algorithms and their contributions to health inequities. Examining ways to promote race-conscious medicine, participants explored the underlying assumptions of racial differences in physiology, and parameters for identifying instances when race and ethnicity as social constructs are legitimate considerations for improving health equity, such as when promoting outreach, screening, and community education and engagement.

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56 pages · 6 x 9 · paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-71179-7
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-71180-0
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/27301

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Examining the History, Consequences, and Effects of Race-Based Clinical Algorithms on Health Equity: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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The United States has a complex system of laws and policies that attempt to regulate the distribution, manufacture, and use of a variety of non-legal drug substances as part of its overall criminal justice system. Laws regarding drug use have disproportionately impacted individuals and communities of color at every step of the journey through the criminal justice system, including arrest, conviction, sentencing, and incarceration. These disparities have clear outcomes for both individual and community health. To examine the effects of drug control policies on the health of individuals and communities of color, the Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity held a workshop on October 8, 2018, in Washington, DC. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions of the workshop.

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64 pages · 6 x 9 · paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-27387-0
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-27388-9
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/26401

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. The Effects of Drug Control Policies on Individual and Community Health for People of Color: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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Despite advances in the delivery of high-quality cancer care and improvements in patient outcomes in recent years, disparities in cancer incidence, care, and patient outcomes persist. To examine opportunities to improve health equity across the cancer care continuum, the National Cancer Policy Forum and the Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity hosted a public workshop, Promoting Health Equity in Cancer Care, on October 25 and October 26, 2021.

This virtual workshop featured presentations and panel discussions on topics that included: opportunities to improve equitable access to affordable, high-quality cancer care; strategies to identify and address the intersectionality of structural racism and implicit bias in cancer care delivery; the potential for quality measurement and payment mechanisms to incentivize health equity in cancer care delivery; and clinical practice data collection efforts to better assess and care for people living with and beyond cancer. This publication summarizes the presentation and discussion of the workshop.

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88 pages · 6 x 9 · paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-69189-3
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-69190-7
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/26661

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. Promoting Health Equity in Cancer Care: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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Involvement with the juvenile justice system can impact young people's physical and mental health and well-being throughout their lives, as well as the health and well-being of their families and communities. Youth of color are more likely to become involved with the juvenile justice system, and suffer worse outcomes in sentencing, during incarceration, and after release. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity convened a workshop to discuss the impact that juvenile justice system involvement has on the health and well-being of adolescents, families, and communities of color; examine policies that are successful in improving outcomes; and explore what needs to be done to improve all aspects of encounters with the juvenile justice system.

The workshop suggested pursuing alternatives to traditional juvenile justice systems that would allow adolescents to stay in their communities rather than in detention, responding to behavioral problems in youth with interventions that promote health and positive development rather than punishment, and tailoring interventions and programming to participants' cultural background and gender identity. This report summarizes the proceedings of the workshop.

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96 pages · 6 x 9 · paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-69053-6
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-69054-4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/26623

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. The Impact of Juvenile Justice System Involvement on the Health and Well-Being of Youth, Families, and Communities of Color: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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Communities of color have been among the hardest hit by the COVID virus. Less is known, however, about infection and vaccination rates in the different populations that make up the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA/NH/PI) communities. In at least 16 states that do disaggregate their data, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders have the highest mortality rates. Additionally, reports of incidents of xenophobia and violence against AANHPI community members, particularly women, became more frequent during the pandemic. Finally, there is a lack of data on AANHPI health and well-being in comparison to other groups, which will make it more difficult to correct these disparities in the future.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity planned and hosted a 2-day public workshop in December 2021 titled COVID-19, Health Equity, and the Asian American, Pacific Islander, and Native Hawaiian Communities. The workshop focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the unique obstacles faced by the AANHPI communities in achieving health equity. This Proceedings of a Workshop-In Brief summarizes the events covered in the workshop discussions.

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14 pages · 8.5 x 11 ·
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-69314-4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/26700

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. COVID-19, Health Equity, and the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Communities: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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Communities of color experience significantly higher rates of COVID-19 infection compared to White Americans, but have gotten vaccinated at a slower pace. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity hosted a public webinar to discuss lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and previous vaccination efforts that could improve vaccination rates among communities of color. Five participants including Indigenous tribal authorities, state public health workers, labor advocates, and academics discussed the history of vaccination and disease control efforts for minority populations during and before the COVID-19 pandemic. This Proceedings of a Workshop-In Brief summarizes the content of the workshop discussions.

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7 pages · 8.5 x 11 ·
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-69049-8
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/26622

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2022. COVID-19 Vaccines: Studying Historical Successes (and Failures) for Equity-Centered Approaches to Vaccinating Indigenous Communities, Undocumented Immigrants, and Communities of Color: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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Communities of color are experiencing significantly higher rates of COVID-19 infection and significantly higher mortality rates when compared to white Americans. It is critical that contact tracing efforts are executed in ways that are appropriate to those communities experiencing a greater burden of COVID-19. In some cases these efforts should take into account the distrust some communities have in health care systems and providers. Other issues relevant to contact tracing include language, cultural competency, health literacy, stigma, and privacy concerns, particularly in multigenerational households. Furthermore, contact tracers may identify individuals who lack access to care and/or health insurance, or the supportive services needed to isolate if they test positive, and some individuals will be residents without documentation. Recruiting and building a new cadre of contact tracers should meet the immediate goal of addressing the pandemic, but attention could also be paid to building a public health infrastructure in communities that supports health equity.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity hosted a public webinar titled, Doing It Right: Contact Tracing and Health Equity, on July 30, 2020, which focused on the role of contact tracing for vulnerable groups, in this case, Native Americans and Latino communities, during the COVID-19 pandemic. This publication provides a summary of the discussions from the workshop.

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5 pages · 8.5 x 11 ·
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-08447-4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/26174

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2021. Contact Tracing and the Challenges of Health Equity in Vulnerable Latino and Native American Communities: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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The high rate of incarceration in the United States contributes significantly to the nation's health inequities, extending beyond those who are imprisoned to families, communities, and the entire society. Since the 1970s, there has been a seven-fold increase in incarceration. This increase and the effects of the post-incarceration reentry disproportionately affect low-income families and communities of color. It is critical to examine the criminal justice system through a new lens and explore opportunities for meaningful improvements that will promote health equity in the United States.

The National Academies convened a workshop on June 6, 2018 to investigate the connection between incarceration and health inequities to better understand the distributive impact of incarceration on low-income families and communities of color. Topics of discussion focused on the experience of incarceration and reentry, mass incarceration as a public health issue, women's health in jails and prisons, the effects of reentry on the individual and the community, and promising practices and models for reentry. The programs and models that are described in this publication are all Philadelphia-based because Philadelphia has one of the highest rates of incarceration of any major American city. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions of the workshop.

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88 pages · 6 x 9 · paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-49366-8
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-49367-6
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/25471

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. The Effects of Incarceration and Reentry on Community Health and Well-Being: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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Poor health literacy has many negative consequences for achieving the quadruple aim of better care, improving the health of the community and the population, providing affordable care, and improving the work life of health care providers, and those consequences disproportionately affect those individuals with disabilities and those who experience health disparities. To better understand how health literacy, health equity, and health disparities intersect for individuals living with disabilities, the Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity and the Elimination of Health Disparities and the Roundtable on Health Literacy jointly sponsored a workshop that was held on June 14, 2016, in Washington, DC. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

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118 pages · 6 x 9 · paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-45789-0
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-45790-4
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/24741

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2018. People Living with Disabilities: Health Equity, Health Disparities, and Health Literacy: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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Accessible and affordable housing can enable community living, maximize independence, and promote health for vulnerable populations. However, the United States faces a shortage of affordable and accessible housing for low-income older adults and individuals living with disabilities. This shortage is expected to grow over the coming years given the population shifts leading to greater numbers of older adults and of individuals living with disabilities.

Housing is a social determinant of health and has direct effects on health outcomes, but this relationship has not been thoroughly investigated. In December 2016, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine convened a public workshop to better understand the importance of affordable and accessible housing for older adults and people with disabilities, the barriers to providing this housing, the design principles for making housing accessible for these individuals, and the features of programs and policies that successfully provide affordable and accessible housing that supports community living for older adults and people with disabilities. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

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108 pages · 6 x 9 · paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-45980-X
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-45981-8
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/24787

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2017. Developing Affordable and Accessible Community-Based Housing for Vulnerable Adults: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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A critical component of the nation's economic vitality is ensuring that all Americans can contribute and prosper. Such contributions presuppose an intentional focus on achieving the highest levels of health possible, which requires that conditions in communities, schools workplaces, and other settings promote health and address the social determinants of health for all community members. Many organizations, in both the private and public sectors, have been establishing partnerships to further healthy workplaces and health equity in general. Many are taking the lead in producing economic growth that is inclusive and responsive to the nation's diverse needs and populations. Increasingly, private–public partnerships are emerging as ways of doing business. Additionally, a variety of new developments in health, health care, and community benefits obligations that are part of the Affordable Care Act have contributed to this interest in economic growth and health and in the creation of new partnerships.

To examine past successes and future opportunities, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a workshop in November 2015. The workshop focused on the potential of the private sector to produce a triple bottom line: economic opportunity (including workforce development) and growth, healthy work and community environments, and improved employee health. At the same time, participants looked beyond the private sector to public–private partnerships and to public-sector actions that combine opportunities for economic growth and good health for all. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

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82 pages · 6 x 9 · paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-44352-0
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-44353-9
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/23529

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. The Private Sector as a Catalyst for Health Equity and a Vibrant Economy: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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More than 2 million Americans below age 24 self-identify as being of American Indian or Alaska Native descent. Many of the serious behavioral, emotional, and physical health concerns facing young people today are especially prevalent with Native youth (e.g., depression, violence, and substance abuse). Adolescent Native Americans have death rates two to five times the rate of whites in the same age group because of higher levels of suicide and a variety of risky behaviors (e.g., drug and alcohol use, inconsistent school attendance). Violence, including intentional injuries, homicide, and suicide, accounts for three-quarters of deaths for Native American youth ages 12 to 20. Suicide is the second leading cause of death—and 2.5 times the national rate—for Native youth ages 15 to 24.

Arrayed against these health problems are vital cultural strengths on which Native Americans can draw. At a workshop held in 2012, by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, presenters described many of these strengths, including community traditions and beliefs, social support networks, close-knit families, and individual resilience. In May 2014, the Academies held a follow-up workshop titled Advancing Health Equity for Native American Youth. Participants discussed issues related to (1) the visibility of racial and ethnic disparities in health and health care as a national problem, (2) the development of programs and strategies by and for Native and Indigenous communities to reduce disparities and build resilience, and (3) the emergence of supporting Native expertise and leadership. This report summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.

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74 pages · 6 x 9 · paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-37613-0
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-37614-9
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/21766

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. Advancing Health Equity for Native American Youth: Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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Health care is in the midst of a dramatic transformation in the United States. Spurred by technological advances, economic imperatives, and governmental policies, information technologies are rapidly being applied to health care in an effort to improve access, enhance quality, and decrease costs. At the same time, the use of technologies by the consumers of health care is changing how people interact with the health care system and with health information.

These changes in health care have the potential both to exacerbate and to diminish the stark disparities in health and well-being that exist among population groups in the United States. If the benefits of technology flow disproportionately to those who already enjoy better coverage, use, and outcomes than disadvantaged groups, heath disparities could increase. But if technologies can be developed and implemented in such a way to improve access and enhance quality for the members of all groups, the ongoing transformation of health care could reduce the gaps among groups while improving health care for all.

To explore the potential for further insights into, and opportunities to address, disparities in underserved populations the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a workshop in October 2014. The workshop focused on (1) how communities are using digital health technologies to improve health outcomes for racial and ethnic minority populations, (2) how community engagement can improve access to high-quality health information for members of these groups, and (3) on models of successful technology-based strategies to reduce health disparities. This report summarizes the presentations and discussions at the workshop.

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82 pages · 6 x 9 · paperback
ISBN Paperback: 0-309-43891-8
ISBN Ebook: 0-309-43892-6
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/23439

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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2016. The Promises and Perils of Digital Strategies in Achieving Health Equity: Workshop Summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

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Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity

Advancing Equity in Diagnostic Excellence to Reduce Health Disparities: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief

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