New Orleans, La – Staying true to its goal to eliminate health disparities, Xavier University of Louisiana’s College of Pharmacy will be hosting the 16^th Health Disparities Conference from February 22-24^th at the Sheraton New Orleans. Themed “Public Health Transformations to Achieve Health Equity,” the conference promises to provide attendees with a multi-perspective view of concerns and issues related to health disparities and health equity while highlighting solutions that use public health approaches to achieve health equity.

The conference is hosted by Xavier University of Louisiana’s Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education (CMHDRE). Established in 2002, the CMHDRE’s initial focus was on the disparities that exist among patients with diabetes and diabetes-related illnesses. As it has grown in support from faculty and staff, the center has expanded to include a focus on the social determinants of health, such as racism, policies, education, income, and the environment, which all contribute to health disparities. The conference seeks to share solutions to these factors to improve health outcomes.

“The mission of Xavier’s College of Pharmacy is to train healthcare professionals to make an impact on eliminating health disparities, and that is precisely why this conference is important,” said Dr. Kathleen Kennedy, Dean of the Xavier University of Louisiana College of Pharmacy. “This conference gives us the opportunity to gather and have these important discussions around health disparities. What I think is most important is that we are not just having discussions but also presenting and highlighting solutions. That is how we progress.”

Conference organizer, 1Joshua Group, has been helping organizations to create events like Xavier’s Health Disparities Conference that advance health conversations to improve healthcare conditions for the last 18 years.

“We are excited that we get to continue to partner with clients like Xavier to bring a forward-looking educational and information gathering of experts focusing on improving health outcomes such as this one to life,” said Kermit G. Payne, President of 1Joshua Group. “Our work revolves around providing programming to address the health needs and education of underserved communities and vulnerable populations. This Health Disparities Conference does just that.”

A few notable participants in the conference this year are Dr. Louis Sullivan, former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services during President George H.W. Bush’s administration and Dr. John Ruffin, founding director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Dr. John Ruffin is the namesake of the John Ruffin lecture series, which takes place at the conference each year. The chosen lecturer is someone who champions the improvement of health of individuals and communities through addressing issues in health policy, treatment, research and advocacy, like Dr. Ruffin. This year, the John Ruffin Lecturer will be Dr. Irene Dankwa-Mullin, the chief health equity officer and deputy chief health officer at Merative. Dr. Dankwa-Mullin is a nationally recognized physician and health equity scholar who advocates for health policy that considers minority health concerns and disadvantaged communities. Other conference participants will include clinicians, health policymakers, health educators, public and community health leaders, and college-level student researchers.

Those attending the conference can look forward to interactive workshops, lectures, discussions, networking events, and more with a schedule determined by their interests. These events will focus on basic and clinical research and policy related to healthcare and health conditions. They will also highlight solutions that address the root causes of the inequity that contributes to health disparities in the healthcare field. The conference will also showcase more than two hundred scientific, clinical, and population health poster presentations on critical evidence that addresses workforce development. Attendees can expect to be presented with culturally appropriate research and public health models that contribute to health equity and are replicable, sustainable, and attainable.

“The goal [of the conference] is to improve the health outcomes and the overall health of those within our communities,” said Dean Kennedy. “We do that by having these discussions and conversations about health disparities and what factors contribute to them. Only then can we work toward eliminating them.”

For more information, visit the conference’s website at https://the1joshuagroup.com/xula/index.html

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About Xavier University of Louisiana

Xavier University of Louisiana, America’s only historically Black and Catholic University, is ranked among the top three HBCUs (historically Black colleges and universities) in the nation. Recognized as a national leader in STEM and health sciences, Xavier produces more African American students who graduate from medical schools each year than any other university in the United States. Additionally, Xavier’s College of Pharmacy is also among the top producers of African American pharmacists in the country.

Established in 1925, by Saint Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament as a place for African American and Native Americans to receive quality education, Xavier has since expanded its programs in art, business, education, biological sciences, chemistry, pharmacy and political science. More recent additions in robotics, bioinformatics, engineering, data science, neuroscience and genetics, in addition to new STEM-based master’s programs, have provided Xavier students (2,749 undergraduates and 849 graduates) an unbeatable combination of traditional classroom study, hands-on research, service-learning opportunities and life experiences. Xavier students collaborate with world-renowned faculty, who are experts in their fields, to produce award-winning research and notable work. The winning Xavier formula is to provide students with a well-balanced curriculum and an environment that nurtures their intellect and feeds their souls, thereby facilitating a more just and humane society for all. For more information about Xavier University of Louisiana, visit us online at www.xula.edu or contact Regi Reyes at (504) 520-5425 or rreyes@xula.edu.