2012 Science of Eliminating Health Disparities Summit

Who:	The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under the leadership of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), in partnership with: HHS agencies and offices: Food and Drug Administration, Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Resources and Services Administration, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; Indian Health Service, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Office of Minority Health, Office of the Surgeon General, Office of Global Affairs, and Other federal agencies: The Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Departments of State, Defense, Agriculture, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Veterans Affairs, Education, Labor, and Justice, and their many grantees, constituents, and partners in the public and private sector.
What:	The 2012 Science of Eliminating Health Disparities Summit is the leading scientific gathering on health disparities. Thousands of participants will attend approximately 100 sessions to exchange new knowledge, and learn about progress, successes, challenges, and opportunities in implementing innovative research. Sessions will also feature practice and policy interventions to inform health disparities science, and highlight the power and impact of multi-sector partnerships in tackling the social, behavioral, environmental, economic, and biological factors that cause health disparities. The theme is Building a Healthier Society: Integrating Science, Practice, and Policy. http://www.nimhd.nih.gov/summit_site/
Where:	Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center 201 Waterfront Street, National Harbor, MD 20745
When:	Monday, December 17 to Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Why:	Millions of people globally experience health disparities, and far too many suffer from preventable diseases and health conditions. This is due in part to inadequate attention to their physical or environmental surroundings, and the circumstances into which they are born, grow, live, work, and age. There is increased multi-sector partnership among domestic and international partners to share best practices and enhance approaches being implemented in neighborhoods and communities to eliminate health disparities. In addition to seeking to understand the influence of biology on health disparities, there is growing emphasis on the social determinants of health that affect socially disadvantaged and underserved communities, and the important role of science, practice, and policy.

NIMHD is a part of the NIH. It leads scientific research to improve minority health and eliminate health disparities by conducting and supporting research on minority health and health disparities; planning, reviewing, coordinating, and evaluating all minority health and health disparities research at NIH; promoting and supporting the training of a diverse research workforce; translating and disseminating research information; and fostering collaborations and partnerships. For more information on the Institute’s programs, see http://www.nimhd.nih.gov.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

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