As defined by the CDC, health disparities are preventable differences in the burdens of disease, injury, violence, or opportunities. UC Merced researchers across disciplines are addressing health disparities and developing innovative solutions.
There are also opportunties for both undergraduate and graduate students to receive further training in this area of research.
How are health disparities relevant in the San Joaquin Valley?
While the 11 counties that comprise the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) and surrounding foothill communities make up the fastest growing region in the state where agriculture, oil and land development generate significant wealth, they also exhibit its highest levels of income disparities and rank poorly on an index of health factors reflecting health/risk behaviors, access to care and physical environment.
This region reports prevalence rates higher than the national average for conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, overweight/obesity, current smoking and psychological distress.
Across the SJV, differences in disease prevalence and limited or better health disparities in some conditions demonstrate the need to examine both the risks and resilience of individuals, families and communities.
Our region's racial, ethnic and socio-economic diversity provides an opportunity to examine rural health and health disparities as well as disparities within rural communities.
As a child of the Central Valley and a member of a Native tribe, Grace Grinder developed an early awareness of health care disparities affecting rural regions and underserved communities. While in...
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. A few more taps and Nayelyi Salazar would be a community college student — a big step for the high-schooler from Delhi, a town of 10,000 that hugs California’s...
Our circadian clocks play a crucial role in our health and well-being, keeping our 24-hour biological cycles in sync with light and dark exposure. Disruptions in the rhythms of these clocks, as with...
