May 25, 2006

“Minority Women’s Health Professional Leadership Summit”
Longworth House Office Building , Room 1116
Washington , D.C.
May 25th, 2006

Final Agenda

Office on Women's Health (OWH)/LUPUS Project

January 30, 2003

"Improving the Health of Hispanic Women with Lupus: Recommendations for Education and Research" Agenda
National Hispanic Medical Association
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office on Women's Health
Hubert Humphrey Building
Washington, DC 20201

There is a lack of knowledge among the public and health care providers about Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE ) or Lupus. Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects approximately 1.4 million Americans, primarily women between the ages of 15-44. It is more commonly diagnosed in women of color with African American women being 2-3 times more affected. The DHHS Office on Women's Health (OWH) in partnership with NHMA has sought to bring awareness and understanding to the community about Lupus in the Hispanic community. The OWH nationwide strategic plan involves heightened public awareness and understanding of lupus as a major public health issue. Research statistics have indicated that people living in lower income households, women of color, and those living in rural areas without access to medical specialists are more likely to go undiagnosed, incur more damage due to the disease and have less access to appropriate medications and treatments.

The purpose of the project is to foster the development of lupus education programs within the minority medical professional organizations. In accordance with its goals to decrease health disparities and increase education about issues involving the health of minorities and women, a meeting of experts to address the problem of Lupus was held in Washington, D.C. in Sept. 2002. National experts from across the country in the field of OB-GYN, Rheumatology, and Internal Medicine who have experience in the management of Hispanic Lupus patients were invited. NHMA coordinated this meeting and was co-hosted by OWH with other key DHHS agencies such as NIH in Washington, D.C. and other stakeholders in Hispanic health such as the staff of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. The goals of this project are to develop priorities to improve Lupus education and research targeted at the Hispanic community and to develop a report based on the recommendations from this meeting.

The OW H sponsored a meeting of Hispanic physicians to discuss the management and treatment of Latina patients with Lupus and issues for future policy and research on January 30, 2003.