News

Announces a summit for healthcare professionals addressing the intersection of HIV and substance use disorders, focusing on evidence-based integration strategies.

Promotes a free community wellness fair in Columbus offering health checkups, dental screenings, sexual health education, and mental health resources.

Announces new maternal mortality data showing Black mothers face significantly higher death rates, with some states exceeding 120 deaths per 100,000 live births.

Draws lessons from the HIV/AIDS crisis on adaptability, networking, financial preparedness, and mental health care for navigating current healthcare uncertainties.

Promotes a workshop on applying Implementation Science to integrate and sustain evidence-based HIV care practices, featuring keynote and interactive sessions.

Examines why Black communities face disproportionate HIV burden, revealing that only 4.3% of PrEP initiators are Black despite higher risk, due to systemic barriers and implicit biases.

This comprehensive article explores how Black same-gender-loving men (SGLM) living with HIV face multiple intersecting oppressions and health disparities, while offering strategies like cultural humility, destigmatizing language, and research insights to support this population.

Announces partnership with ElevenLabs to use AI audio technology for creating accessible voice-powered content and data visualization guides.

Recent advancements in HIV treatment, including long-acting antiretroviral therapies and promising gene editing technologies like CRISPR, are transforming care for the 38 million people worldwide living with HIV and offering new hope for a future cure.

On World Mental Health Day, Morehouse School of Medicine announced the expansion of the Health Equity Tracker to include trend analyses for mental and behavioral health metrics, allowing users to track disparities across race, sex, and age in these critical areas.

The misconception of HIV as a "gay disease" has dangerously overlooked Black women, who account for 54% of new HIV infections among American women yet represent only 8% of PrEP users, highlighting the urgent need for more inclusive prevention messaging.

A personal reflection on the author's brother's suicide, connecting it to new Health Equity Tracker data on gun violence and the rising suicide rate among young adults.

Announces a roundtable bringing together community leaders and experts to discuss data-driven violence prevention strategies, particularly addressing gun violence among Black youth.

Calls for reform of Georgia's HIV criminalization laws, which don't reflect modern treatment advances like U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable) and disproportionately harm marginalized groups.

The first-ever "Walk in Her Shoes" event at Morehouse School of Medicine brought together mothers, daughters, and advocates to empower Black women living with HIV through panel discussions, performances, and community connection.

Examines barriers to mental healthcare for minoritized communities, including discrimination, inadequate coverage, and how these factors perpetuate health inequities.

Promotes an event for mothers and daughters addressing HIV challenges facing Black women, with panel discussions and community engagement opportunities.

Personal account of an HIV advocate explaining their motivation despite not being personally affected, and concerns about recent setbacks in HIV prevention infrastructure.

Traces the history of HIV/AIDS in Black communities from the first documented cases, highlighting how disparities began early and have persisted for over four decades.

Addresses the intersection of HIV, mental health, and stigma facing Black women, who experience higher HIV rates linked to limited healthcare access and economic disparities.

Announces a new Health Equity Tracker module tracking cardiovascular and HIV medication adherence disparities among Medicare beneficiaries by race and ethnicity.

Explains asset-based community development as a strengths-focused approach to HIV prevention, helping communities identify and mobilize local resources for care.

Critiques Louisiana's HIV criminalization laws that perpetuate stigma and disproportionately burden marginalized communities, calling for evidence-based legal reform.

Promotes #ZeroHIVStigmaDay and highlights the Health Equity Tracker's HIV stigma data as a resource for combating discrimination against people living with HIV.

Raises awareness about fibroids during July's Fibroid Awareness Month, noting that Black women are three times more likely to develop fibroids than White women.

Explores the complex relationship between Black churches and HIV, noting that while churches historically provided community support, homophobia and stigma have limited their HIV response.

Highlights the stark disparity in PrEP access: Black people represent 40% of those living with HIV but only 14% of PrEP users, due to stigma and social determinants of health.

Addresses the disproportionate HIV impact on Black Americans (42% of new cases despite 12% of population) and the need for better data collection to dismantle healthcare system barriers.

SHLI joined over 300 exhibitors at APHA's 150th anniversary conference with multiple faculty presentations, including Daniel Dawes discussing the Political Determinants of Health and Dr. David Satcher participating in a panel on health inequity.

A Health Equity Task Force member reflects on the tracker's role in supporting the movement to declare racism a public health crisis and improve data-driven policy responses.

Examines how the lack of paid sick leave policies disproportionately impacts essential and frontline workers, increasing COVID-19 exposure risks and health inequities.

This article explains how political determinants of health differ from social determinants of health, examining how policy choices and political decisions lead to social factors that impact health outcomes and can be categorized into voting, government, and policy influences.

SHLI released "The Economic Burden of Mental Health Inequities in the United States Report," revealing that nearly 117,000 lives and approximately $278 billion could have been saved over a four-year period, while identifying that nearly six million vulnerable Americans are not accounted for in national mental healthcare reporting.

The Satcher Health Leadership Institute hosted the Inaugural Robert Raben Health Equity Innovation Award Competition, awarding $10,000 to Sandra Kong and Xindi Chen for their project "Optimizing Care Coordination for Patients with Multimorbidity" to advance health equity innovation.

Reflects on the Health Equity Tracker's first year, showing how Black and Hispanic communities bear disproportionate COVID-19 hospitalization burdens despite smaller population shares.

The Satcher Health Leadership Institute and Google.org received two Halo Awards for their Health Equity Tracker, winning Gold for "Best Health Initiative" and Silver for "Best COVID-19 Initiative" at the 2022 ceremony.

Highlights findings from the American COVID-19 Vaccine Poll on vaccine uptake among communities of color, emphasizing the need for quality data to address hesitancy.

In Smarter Healthcare's Episode 21 podcast, Daniel E. Dawes discusses his initial motivation for pursuing health policy work and explores the upstream drivers called the Political Determinants of Health affecting America's health outcomes.

The Health Equity Tracker has expanded to include a new "Behavioral Health" category with five indicators: Frequent Mental Distress, Depression, Suicide, Opioid and Other Substance Misuse, and Alcohol Use, helping to address significant disparities in mental and behavioral health outcomes.

Daniel Dawes discusses the troubling 2021 mortality figures for communities of color in a USA Today article, highlighting how the US is undercounting COVID-19 deaths and the persistent inequities affecting these communities.

The CDC Foundation supported the development of a comprehensive report by the Presidential COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force with recommendations for mitigating inequities caused by the pandemic, with input from SHLI's Daniel Dawes.

Explores how social determinants like racism, stigma, and lack of culturally competent services contribute to behavioral health disparities during COVID-19.

Evaluates the completeness of CDC COVID-19 datasets as a replacement for the Covid Tracking Project, comparing case counts and race/ethnicity data availability.

Dr. David Satcher, 16th U.S. Surgeon General and founding director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute, received the 2021 Fries Prize for Improving Health for his outstanding achievements and lifetime commitment to eliminating health disparities and championing health equity.

Daniel E. Dawes has accepted an invitation to join the Advisory Committee to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which advises on policy and broad strategies to enable CDC to fulfill its mission of protecting national health and addressing health disparities.

The National Academy of Medicine announced the election of Daniel E. Dawes to its membership, recognizing him as a national leader in health equity whose groundbreaking books have reframed policy conversations and led to actionable solutions.

The Satcher Health Leadership Institute's Health Equity Tracker has launched vaccination data as part of its most recent update, highlighting underlying factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy and inequitable vaccine access for historically marginalized communities.

Dr. David Satcher and Daniel Dawes reflect on how the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted disparities in healthcare access and exacerbated health inequities, particularly for Black Americans who have lost about three years of life expectancy during the pandemic.

The Satcher Health Leadership Institute, The University of North Texas Health Science Center, and YouTube announced the Inaugural Garth N. Graham Distinguished Lectureship Award, with the first award going to renowned public health expert Dr. David R. Williams.

Explains how the Affordable Care Act mandated standardized demographic data collection to identify health inequities, and why emergency situations like COVID-19 often result in incomplete reporting.

Discusses balancing data collection with community needs, urging public health professionals to examine internal biases while using data responsibly to advance equity.

The Health Equity Tracker has been updated to include data from United States Territories including Puerto Rico, United States Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and American Samoa, allowing users to track available health outcome data in these areas.

Dr. David Satcher co-authored an opinion piece arguing that violence is something we can understand and prevent through a public health approach based on science, prevention focus, and collaborative work.

Dr. Aletha Maybank and Daniel E. Dawes discuss the partnership between the American Medical Association and the Satcher Health Leadership Institute to create the Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship, designed to help physicians address the root causes of health inequities.

The American Medical Association and the Satcher Health Leadership Institute announced the selection of 12 physicians as the inaugural fellows for the Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship, which will empower physician-led advocacy to advance health equity.

This video series explores the history, purpose, vision, and mission of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute, providing an intimate look at the Health Equity Tracker project and why accounting for health data disparities is crucial for underserved communities.

Madhuri Jha, Director of the Kennedy-Satcher Center for Mental Health Equity, reflects on the cultural impact of Lin-Manuel Miranda's "In the Heights" and her experience as a bilingual psychotherapist serving Washington Heights, highlighting how language, tone, and environment shape cultural experiences in mental health care for immigrant communities.

SHLI reflects on the significance of Juneteenth becoming a federal holiday, noting that while this recognition marks a cultural shift, continued work is needed to educate, inform, and change policies to break down systemic barriers to equity.

Announces the launch of the Health Equity Tracker, a comprehensive data platform tracking COVID-19's impact on marginalized communities, with support from Google.org and Gilead Sciences.

This research study analyzed changes in state reporting of COVID-19 data by race/ethnicity between April and November 2020, revealing significant gaps in data collection that prevent a true accounting of the pandemic's impact on racial/ethnic minority communities.

SHLI premiered a two-part animated series of "The Allegory of the Orchard," an excerpt from Daniel E. Dawes' book The Political Determinants of Health, illustrating barriers faced by racial and ethnic minority communities and the importance of addressing political determinants.

The Health Equity Tracker Project was created through collaboration between the Satcher Health Leadership Institute, the CDC Foundation, Google.org, Gilead Sciences, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation to collect and clearly present health disparity data to drive response toward areas most in need.

Dr. David Satcher received the prestigious Rev. Robert Ross Johnson Humanitarian of the Year Award from the Rotary Club of Buckhead, recognizing his medical and educational accomplishments and profound impact on health equity throughout his career.

The American Medical Association and the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine announced a collaborative fellowship to empower physician-led advocacy that advances equity and removes barriers to optimal health for marginalized communities, with applications due March 31, 2021.

This insightful op-ed by Daniel E. Dawes and Brian C. Castrucci highlights the need to continue advancing health equity post-COVID-19 pandemic through systemic policy change rather than returning to pre-pandemic "normal."

Google CEO Sundair Pichai announced grants to help create equitable access to COVID-19 vaccination sites, with the Satcher Health Leadership Institute collaborating to collect vaccination data that will help provide resources to health providers and community leaders.

SHLI honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy, noting how his vision for equity and justice continues to inspire their work to educate and train leaders who move the health equity needle forward.

The Satcher Health Leadership Institute partnered with UBER Technologies to offer 10 million free rides to vaccination sites, targeting communities of color who have been hardest hit during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure transportation access for both vaccine doses.

The Satcher Health Leadership Institute received $500,000 from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to implement the "Political Determinants of Health Virtual Learning Laboratories" program, which will train elected officials and community leaders to examine political factors influencing health outcomes and develop equity-focused projects.

The Satcher Health Leadership Institute, with support from the Environmental Defense Fund, convened a virtual meeting to solicit policy recommendations from southern state representatives to mitigate disproportionate effects of the climate crisis on vulnerable populations exacerbated by COVID-19.

The Satcher Health Leadership Institute successfully convened its first Health Equity Task Force meeting, bringing together members from various committees to identify priority areas and create innovative strategies for eliminating health disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The highly anticipated audiobook version of "The Political Determinants of Health" by Daniel E. Dawes is now available, examining how political decisions create social drivers that affect health outcomes and equity.

The 11th annual Dr. David Satcher Community Health Improvement Awards recognized University of Rochester Medical Center faculty and staff for their significant contributions to reducing health inequities in partnership with community organizations.

Dr. David Satcher's memoir "My Quest for Health Equity: Notes on Learning While Leading" shares his fifty-year career journey toward moving the needle forward in achieving equity for all and offers inspiring lessons on health leadership.

Gilead Sciences and the Satcher Health Leadership Institute announced a partnership to develop a real-time, public-facing health equity data platform to address the impact of COVID-19 and other diseases on communities of color.

SHLI commemorates the life of Congressman John Robert Lewis, honoring his lifelong activism in the Civil Rights Movement and his unwavering stance to fight for justice, noting their commitment to continuing his legacy through health equity work.

House Ways and Means Chairman Richard E. Neal released a comprehensive staff report titled "Left Out: Barriers to Health Equity for Rural and Underserved Communities" analyzing barriers to healthcare in underserved areas and how challenges are byproducts of systemic racism and economic inequality.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Minority Health selected Morehouse School of Medicine to lead the National Infrastructure for Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19 within Racial and Ethnic Minority Communities initiative, with Dr. Dominic Mack and Daniel E. Dawes serving as principal investigators.

The CDC Foundation and the Satcher Health Leadership Institute announced a partnership to address COVID-19 health inequities by establishing a Health Equity Task Force to monitor and assess disparate impacts on vulnerable populations and create a COVID-19 data consortium.

Daniel E. Dawes, Director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine believes there are lessons from the success we realized in other crises to advance more equitable policies today.

Google.org awarded a $1 million grant to the Satcher Health Leadership Institute to collect and analyze detailed data on the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color, with Google engineers and data scientists supporting the six-month project.

Dr. Kisha B. Holden was appointed as the Poussaint-Satcher Endowed Chair in Mental Health, bringing her vision to build capacity and nurture collaborations that bolster mental health initiatives focused on underserved and underrepresented populations.

YouTube and the Kaiser Family Foundation are partnering with the Satcher Health Leadership Institute to produce a video series examining health equity through the lens of healthcare access, alongside The Loveland Foundation and National Birth Equity Collaborative who will focus on mental health and maternal health respectively.

This article published in Generations Journal examines how political determinants of health impact health equity for aging populations, discussing how COVID-19 exacerbated inequities and offering solutions to advance health equity for older adults.