For National Minority Health Month this April, the CAP has urged Congress to pass legislation that addresses social determinants of health in the United States. The CAP will also join with federal agencies and communities across the country by raising awareness for the importance of vaccines and booster shots as vital tools against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As physicians and stewards of laboratory medicine, the CAP and its members are committed to achieving health equity and addressing disparities in care to ensure quality, accessible patient care for everyone,” said CAP President Emily Volk, MD, FCAP. “Access to services like preventive care, cancer screenings, and treatment for chronic illnesses are essential for communities of color, rural communities, and other underserved populations. Unfortunately, various social determinants contribute to people not getting the recommended health care services they need.”

Over the last several months, the CAP has supported legislation to enable a better understanding of the social determinants that drive health care disparities in the United States. For example, the CAP supports the Social Determinants Accelerator Act to improve health care data collection between federal agencies and establish a federal council to develop plans addressing determinants plaguing beneficiaries in the Medicaid program. The Act will provide needed grants and assistance to state, tribal, and local governments to deploy strategies addressing determinants in their own communities.

Reducing Vaccine Hesitancy Among Communities of Color

The 2022 National Minority Health Month theme is Give Your Community a Boost, which focuses on the importance of COVID-19 vaccination. Racism and discrimination can contribute to mistrust in the US health care system. Misinformation about vaccines and boosters further serve as barriers to obtaining vaccine and booster shots.

Watch this CAP video to learn more about building trust about vaccines in the Black community.