Article Content

The National Healthcare Disparities Report 2011 identifies key areas for improvement. Minorities, low-income people, and the elderly receive suboptimal care in the United States, and diabetes care, cancer screening, and care in Southern states need the most improvement. Progress in safety is lagging, as is promoting healthy lifestyles in minorities. Further, wide gaps in types of care remain. For example, although 95% of hospitalized patients with pneumonia receive antibiotics, only 9% of patients with alcoholism receive treatment. But the news isn't all bad; areas showing improvement include personal and family-centered care and the prevention and treatment of heart disease. The report includes examples of federal, state, and private programs that reduce costs and disparities. The report is available at http://1.usa.gov/IgRaGj.