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Humana Integrated Health System Sciences Institute

Health Equity

“

Equity is the absence of unfair, avoidable or remediable differences among groups of people, whether those groups are defined socially, economically, demographically, geographically or by other dimensions of inequality (e.g. sex, gender, ethnicity, disability, or sexual orientation). Health is a fundamental human right. Health equity is achieved when everyone can attain their full potential for health and well-being.

- World Health Organization: Health equity (who.int)

”

Health Equity in Action

  • Improving Blood Pressure Monitoring

    The Humana Institute partnered with the American Heart Association, and UH Population Health to provide education, blood pressure monitoring equipment, and healthy food options to students, parent, grandparents, faculty, and staff at Blackshear Elementary.

  • Cuney Homes Redevelopment Project

    Institute members have also participated in the Cuney Homes Redevelopment Project in collaboration with the Houston Housing Authority and City of Houston, with Dr. LeChauncy Woodard co-leading the health task force with Dr. Dan Price and Cuney Homes residents.

  • Climate Health Lab

    Omolola E. Adepoju, Ph.D., M.P.H. collaborates with community stakeholders to improve disaster preparedness and response in Houston’s underserved communities. Her current grant develops a multisectoral partnership to design a geospatial-photoethnography dashboard that chronicles the impact of successive disaster events on the physical and mental health outcomes.

  • Addressing Homelessness in Houston's Underserved Communities

    Ben King, Ph.D., M.P.H., whose work focuses on individuals experiencing homelessness has partnered with the Houston Coalition for the Homeless as part of his research efforts.

    Learn more about the Homelessness Reports.

Legacy Community Events

  • Community Health Worker Test and Learn (Bi-monthly Presentations, 2019-20)

    Humana Institute and Honors College explore the role of Community Health Workers (CHW) in improving self-agency, and appropriate use of health care services through trust and capacity building. This test and learn will inform the subsequent interprofessional Household Centered Care model that will be a central component of the UH Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine curriculum.

  • Jeffersonian Style Dinner and Discussion, Curated by TEDMED (September 2019)

    Houston community leaders convened to discuss the importance of multi sector collaboration and its role in addressing non-medical determinants of health in Houston. Findings were then published describing role of multi-sector partnerships in addressing social needs and enhancing medical education.

  • Veteran Homeless Stand Down (October 2019)

    UH health professions students will participate in the annual Veteran Homeless Stand Down, held at MacGregor Park, to address the needs of homeless Veterans and assist with their integration into care.

  • Joycelyn Elders Community Event (November 2019)

    Former Surgeon General, Joycelyn Elders speaks to UH students, faculty, staff and community members.

  • Engaging regularly with Third Ward and East End Community Working Groups

    Humana Institute worked to identify community health priorities in the Third Ward and East End communities. The institute worked collaboratively with these communities and received impactful feedback on their initiatives. We have partnered on several projects, including: conducting COVID-19 focus groups in Sunnyside, Old Spanish Trail and Third Ward on family adaption and needs; partnership with the American Heart Association and Lone Star Circle of Care to deliver fresh, high-quality produce to residents at Cuney Homes and Royal Palms to supplement boxed and frozen food consumption in June 2020.

  • COVID-19 Disaster Response and Recovery among Minority Older Adults in Houston, Texas

    Researchers from University of Houston Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine and Texas A&M University documented lived experiences of minority older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, through a needs assessment, and to determine their unique level of and need for disaster planning, preparedness, response and recovery. The data secured allowed for the design of community demonstration projects to address the identified needs.

  • Examining the community contexts to address opioid misuse and OUD in Black communities

    University of Houston Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine and the Health Research Institute partnered to explore the community and cultural contexts of Black patients diagnosed with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). Their research also focused on the experiences of local community leaders and stakeholders currently involved in mental health and substance use disorder prevention, treatment and recovery services.

  • UH Medical-Legal Partnership: Improving Health by Addressing Health-Harming Legal Need (HHLNs)

    Partners from UH College of Law, University of Houston Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine, Lone Star Legal Aide, Lone Star Circle of Care and Humana Population Health examined the relationship between HHLNs and Chronic Disease Control, Utilization, and Healthy Days. Their work was submitted and presented at several conferences, as well as for further grant applications.

  • Health-Related Social Needs Among Medicare Advantage Members with Mental Illness

    The incremental effect of an additional social need on mental health diagnoses, health care resource utilization and costs were researched by Humana Healthcare Research, University of Houston Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine, University of Houston College of Education and Health Research Institute.

  • Intergenerational Linkage Program to Address Loneliness among Older Adults

    UH Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine, Andy & Barbara College of Nursing and Humana Bold Goal evaluated the impact of program participation on health outcomes and health care utilization among older adults. Through this study, they found methods in which student program participation supports student learning goals.