| Despite advances in public health, disparities still exist. The rate of new HIV diagnoses is about six times as high among African-Americans as among White New Yorkers. Latino New Yorkers are more than twice as likely to have diabetes as White New Yorkers. In addition, the life expectancy in New York City's poorest neighborhoods in 2001 was eight years shorter than in its wealthiest neighborhoods.
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) has prioritized applied research and public health programs that address these disparities and is committed to training the future generation of epidemiologists concerned with health disparities, and diversifying its own workforce.
The Fund for Public Health in New York (FPHNY) received private funding to launch an "Epi Scholars" Program. The purpose of the program is to provide high caliber, graduate level epidemiology students with direct public health experience in an urban setting. The Epi Scholars intern with DOHMH researchers for a period of three to six months. During that time, the Epi Scholars receive supplemental training to further develop their skills and work on significant high profile research projects on health disparities.
The inaugural Epi Scholars session took place during the summer of 2007. The students were chosen for their record of academic achievement and strong interest in addressing health disparities. The scholars worked on studies which addressed the many ways health disparities affect populations, such as the impact of residence and income on health and the association of demographics and other variables with smoke-free home rules. A total of eight students have been chosen to participate in the Epi Scholars program in 2008.
|
