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The current era is characterized by both unprecedented numbers and percentages of older adults in the United States and throughout the world, as well as glaring inequities in health and other resources among segments of the older adult population according to race/ethnicity and place of residence. Because it is important to understand the complex set of causal pathways and time delays that compound health inequities over the life course, we utilize a portfolio of systems science models that originated in the experiences of the community-based outreach program titled ElderSmile in northern Manhattan, New York City. This case study is intended to provide a behind-the-scenes account of our rationale for embarking on this program of scientific inquiry, the promise and pitfalls of a portfolio approach to systems science simulation, and our reflections on what is needed to better ensure that our findings may be used to advance programs and policies to promote health equity for older adults. Despite the time and resources required to ensure a participatory approach to group model building that elicits the knowledge of all team members across disciplines and fields of expertise, it is our belief that the simulation models devised may more accurately reflect real-world conditions and possibilities. If so, in the end, time and resources will have been well spent in the service of running virtual experiments that may effectively direct program enhancements and policy changes that improve the health and well-being of disadvantaged populations of older adults, not only locally, but globally.

Offers a multidimensional picture of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) health across clinical and social disciplines to give readers an understanding of these diverse populations. This book gives coverage of research methodology concerns, and critical insights into the sociopolitical context of LGBT individuals' health and lives

ABSTRACTAimPersistent socioeconomic disparities in the oral disease burden contribute to pain and suffering among vulnerable and underserved populations who face systemic barriers to access oral health care, including older adults living in disadvantaged urban neighborhoods. The aim of this study is to gain the views of racial/ethnic minority older adults regarding what they believe would support them and their peers in visiting the dentist regularly.Methods and resultsFocus groups were conducted and digitally audio‐recorded from 2013 to 2015 with 194 racial/ethnic minority women and men aged 50 years and older living in northern Manhattan who participated in one of 24 focus group sessions about improving oral health for older adults. Analysis of the transcripts was conducted using thematic content analysis. The majority of recommendations from racial/ethnic minority older adults to help older adults go to the dentist regularly were centered at the organization and provider level. The preeminence of respectful treatment to racial/ethnic minority older adults may be useful to underscore in oral health programs and settings.ConclusionThere is a need for greater engagement of and attention to patients and other stakeholders in developing, testing, and disseminating interventions to close the gaps in oral health care disparities.

Purpose. Computer use, Internet access, and online searching for health information were assessed toward enhancing Internet use for health promotion. Design. Cross-sectional random digit dial landline phone survey. Setting. Eight zip codes that comprised Central Harlem/Hamilton Heights and East Harlem in New York City. Subjects. Adults 18 years and older (N = 646). Measures. Demographic characteristics, computer use, Internet access, and online searching for health information. Analysis. Frequencies for categorical variables and means and standard deviations for continuous variables were calculated and compared with analogous findings reported in national surveys from similar time periods. Results. Among Harlem adults, ever computer use and current Internet use were 77% and 52%, respectively. High-speed home Internet connections were somewhat lower for Harlem adults than for U.S. adults overall (43% vs. 68%). Current Internet users in Harlem were more likely to be younger, white vs. black or Hispanic, better educated, and in better self-reported health than non-current users (p < .01). Of those who reported searching online for health information, 74% sought information on medical problems and thought that information found on the Internet affected the way they eat (47%) or exercise (44%). Conclusions. Many Harlem adults currently use the Internet to search for health information. High-speed connections and culturally relevant materials may facilitate health information searching for underserved groups. (Am J Health Promot 2011;25[5]:325-333.)

Public health in the early 21st century increasingly considers how social inequalities impact on individual health, moving away from the focus on how disease relates to the individual person. This 'new public health' identifies how social, economic and political factors affect the level and distribution of individual health, through their effects on individual behaviours, the social groups people belong to, the character of relationships to others and the characteristics of the societies in which people live. The rising social inequalities that can be seen in nearly every country in the world today present not just a moral danger, but a mortal danger as well. Social inequality and public health brings together the latest research findings from some of the most respected medical and social scientists in the world. It surveys four pathways to understanding the social determinants of health: differences in individual health behaviours; group advantage and disadvantage; psychosocial factors in individual health; and healthy and unhealthy societies, shedding light on the costs and consequences of today's high-inequality social models. This exciting book brings together leaders in the field discussing their latest research and is a must-read for anyone interested in public health and social inequalities internationally