I encourage you to visit the H-H-S Office of Minority Health website to learn more about what we are doing in the Department to combat disparities in health delivery. The web address is www.omhrc.gov

Health Literacy

Health literacy - or should I say, illiteracy - can also have a tremendous impact on our minority communities.

Health literacy is the ability of an individual to access, understand, and use health-related information and services to make appropriate health decisions.

More than 90 million people cannot adequately understand basic health information. And health illiteracy is not only impacting our minority communities, it is impacting those from all ages, races and education levels.

How can we expect people to beat - or even control - chronic illness if they can't understand basic health information?

Here in the United States, much attention has been paid to health literacy.

For instance, The Institute of Medicine's 2004 report, Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion, found that nearly half of all American adults have difficulty understanding and using health information, and there is a higher rate of hospitalization and use of emergency services among patients with limited health literacy.

Building upon that report, last year the Institute of Medicine convened a quarterly Roundtable on Health Literacy

The roundtable brings together various H-H-S agencies, the National Cancer Institute, the American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation, and the American College of Physicians Foundation - just to name a few.

Participants this year will continue to discuss challenges facing health literacy practice and research AND to also identify approaches to promote health literacy.

As preventive medicine specialists, you understand the importance of being able to translate complicated health information into easy to understand information that is communicated clearly, accurately and effectively

You know it's important for your patients so they can make the best decisions about their health.

We depend on the communication skills of providers - like many of our preventive medicine specialists who are here today.

It's important that in your mission of preventing disease - that your health messages are understood by the individuals you treat.

This is especially important when preparing our Nation for a public health emergency. Many of you will be on the front line when disaster strikes.

We all have a responsibility - as doctors, as nurses, as teachers, as researchers, as emergency preparers, and as H-H-S leaders -- to ensure that we translate the science and data into medical and health information that can be heard… understood… embraced… and ultimately put into action.

But remember that the fight to end health illiteracy shouldn't start in the doctor's office. It must start with programs to promote health literacy, education and promotion.

These programs should be developed with involvement from the people who will use them.

And these efforts must also take into consideration the cultural and language barriers many in our Nation face.

Care systems, the media, and education and community programs can all join the effort in promoting a more health literate nation.

Emergency Preparedness

As I mentioned, our ability to communicate effectively will be particularly crucial when preparing our Nation for an emergency.

Which brings me to another important component of our prevention efforts, and one of my Office's top priorities -- emergency preparedness.

The terrorist events on 9/11, hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the new threats of pandemic flu have firmly planted emergency preparedness on our nation's health agenda.

September 11 was a tragic event in the history of the United States and the world.

It was also a turning point for us in terms of homeland security.

And the series of hurricanes that hit Florida's shores over the past few years brought another wave of awakening.

We have learned through experience that disasters can strike at anytime, anywhere.

Disaster takes many forms - a hurricane, an earthquake, a tornado, a flood, a fire, a pandemic flu, or a hazardous spill … an act of nature or an act of terrorism.

A disaster builds over days or weeks, or hits suddenly, without warning.

And every year, millions of Americans face disaster, and its terrifying consequences.

We know that we cannot always prevent emergency situations, but we can be prepared so that they do not become large-scale disasters… and we can prevent some of the health consequences that arise from disasters.

Over the past few years, emergency preparedness has become a major part of our mission to protect, promote, and advance the health and safety of the nation.

The Office of the Surgeon General oversees the 6,000-member Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service.

These officers are available to respond rapidly to urgent public health challenges and emergencies, and are becoming more highly trained each and every day to respond to all-hazards emergencies.

Medical Reserve Corps

My office also oversees the Medical Reserve Corps.

The M-R-C is a national system of community-based teams of medical and public health volunteers.

They are a way to organize health professionals who want to donate their time and expertise to prepare for and respond to emergencies and promote healthy living throughout the year.

In many ways, the M-R-C units across the country support the Commissioned Corps, strengthen the public health infrastructure, and improve emergency preparedness.

And make no mistake about it: Prevention professionals are an important part of this volunteer network.

More than 3,500 Floridians have joined their local M-R-Cs, because they want to support the public health missions in their communities.

These units have taken on many roles and missions.

For example, many of these M-R-C units were extensively involved following the devastating hurricanes in 2004, and several helped their neighbors following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.

And during "down times" these dedicated M-R-C members have participated in drills and exercises to keep their skills honed.

Please consider joining your colleagues in this honorable work.

For more information about the Medical Reserve Corps, please visit www.medicalreservecorps.gov

Pandemic Flu Preparedness

Another important area that we continue to work on - even as the media buzz has died down - is pandemic flu preparedness.

To date, more than 265 people have contracted the disease.

Dozens of countries - across three continents - have seen H-5-N-1 claim poultry and wild birds.

The disease is highly pathogenic, and it continues to spread.

While we cannot be certain H-5-N-1 will be the spark of the next pandemic, we can be sure that pandemics happen.

They have happened in the past and they will happen in the future.

That is why we continue to take this threat so seriously.

Preparedness must involve planning by every level of government, every school, every business, every church, every civic organization, and every one of our professional public health associations: including A-C-P-M.

Every family and every individual also need to have a plan.

To make sure people have the information they need to have an effective plan, Secretary Leavitt announced two new initiatives at the beginning of this month.

The Community Mitigation Guidance document helps communities understand appropriate steps to follow depending on the severity of the pandemic.

These steps may include the closing of schools, canceling of public meetings and the need to stay home for an extended period of time.

By anticipating the need for these activities, we can execute them more effectively.

These steps can help reduce the spread of disease until a vaccine is available.

And stopping the spread of disease means we will be saving lives.

The second initiative the Secretary announced was a public service announcement campaign.

This P-S-A campaign will provide useful tips and help people know what to do about pandemic flu.

You can learn more about the P-S-As at pandemicflu.gov.

The bottom line is that at H-H-S we understand the continuing threat of avian influenza - as well as other influenza strains that could evolve into a pandemic - and we continue to take steps necessary for effective preparedness and response.

Work must continue to ensure sustained actions that will minimize the morbidity, mortality, and social disruption that an influenza pandemic could cause.

Preparedness Activities

In addition, I am also here to ask for your assistance in planning for all-hazards events.

Preparedness is a process of learning, adapting, and growing.

We're facing new threats from terrible new weapons, and we must learn how to become better prepared as we go forward.

There have been difficulties along the way.

But we are dedicated to making the process better, to finding problems, and to fixing them.

We are better prepared today than we were in September 2001.

The capacity to rapidly produce vaccine is increased, national stockpiles and distribution systems are in place, communication and disease monitoring systems are expanded, and local preparedness has been dramatically enhanced.

Closing and Charge

I want to close this morning by thanking you for your dedication.

Thank you for your continuing work, and for your commitment to improving the health of all Americans.

Today I want to ask for your continued leadership in preparing our Nation for a public health emergency and for helping our nation to prevent deadly diseases

Looking around this room, I know that through your efforts, and our strong and growing partnership with A-C-P-M, we can ensure better health, safety, and security for all Americans.

I look forward to working with you during this meeting and beyond.

Thank you.

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Last revised: March 20, 2007