Health Affairs, 26, no. 5 (2007): 1281-1292 doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.26.5.1281 © 2007 by Project HOPE	New Online   Pay Cuts For Medicare Docs   Access To Care Woes   Public Coverage More Efficient   Empowering Consumers

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Data & Measurement

Improving Population Health And Reducing Health Care Disparities

The first goal of Healthy People 2010, to increase quality and years of healthy life, does not necessarily coincide with the second goal, to eliminate disparities among population groups. Improvement in the health of the total population without any reduction in relative disparities among racial and ethnic groups was the most frequent outcome at mid-decade for population-based Healthy People objectives. Strategies to maximize improvement in overall population health may have little or no impact on relative disparities or, indeed, may cause them to increase. An independent commitment to eliminating disparities may be necessary.

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