Health Equity Action Think Tank (HEATT)
The Health Equity Action Think Tank (HEATT) is working with laser focus on creating a community free of barriers to good health. We are a collaborative voice for shaping public policies that affect the health of multicultural communities in San Diego County. We support health equity by empowering activists from all areas of the community with data and research that equips them to tell their own stories and to improve the health of their communities through policy change.
The goals of the think tank:
- Build the capacity of patients to become strong advocates of health equity in their multicultural communities.
- Spearhead innovative research to determine the factors that contribute to the development of chronic disease in specific cultures.
- Identify evidence-based best practices and replicate effective models in the prevention and treatment of chronic disease.
- Convene regional and national conversations that raise awareness of the devastating effects of health disparities in multicultural communities and explore solutions.
Leading Health Equity Think Tanks
While HEATT may not always agree with the opinions and policy proposals of these think tanks, they consistently provide the latest information on health disparities, the ways in which policy can reduce disparity, and always give us food for thought.
Alliance for Health Policy
Understanding the issues
Realizing a nation with no barriers to health requires access to an effective and accessible healthcare system. This all starts with good public policy. The Alliance for Health Policy’s Sourcebook is a primer on understanding health policy. If you are new to the issues or need a refresher course, this is a good place to start.
http://www.allhealthpolicy.org/sourcebook/
Trust for America’s Health
Learning more about what interests you
Trust for America’s Health offers a variety of in-depth papers focusing on health equity and policymaking.
UCLA Center for Health Policy Research
Finding the data for your neighborhood
This site contains the Ask CHIS tool for finding health statistics based on your zip code and neighborhood. It is also a good place to find the latest research on health equity issues.