Integrative Medicine and Health Disparities

I n the November 2015 issue of Global Advances in Health and Medicine, we published abstracts from the Annual Integrative Medicine for the Underserved (IM4US) conference held in Boston, Massa-chusetts, August 6-8, 2015. 1 The mission of IM4US is " a collab-orative, multidisciplinary group of people committed to affordable, accessible integra-tive health care for all. " The abstracts described a number of innovative projects, including integrating mindfulness into the patient-centered medical home in federally qualified community health centers; group visits for Spanish-speaking patients with chronic pain; complementary therapy educational institutions offering free services at community events; introducing integrative approaches into public schools; and use of web-based and smart phone technology. The mission of IM4US to make more equitable access to integrative healthcare is laudable. It begs the following question: Can integrative medicine and health have an impact on reducing health disparities? A health disparity is defined as " a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social, economic, and/or environmental disadvantage. Health disparities adversely affect groups of people who have systematically experienced greater obstacles to health based on their racial or ethnic group; religion; socioeconomic status; gender; age; mental health; cognitive, sensory, or physical disability; sexual orientation or gender identity; geographic location; or other characteristics historically linked to discrimination or exclusion. " 2 Throughout the world, many substantial, well-documented health disparities exist. Obesity, diabetes, chronic pain, cardiovascular disease, HIV/AIDS, maternal child outcomes, mental health, and cancer are a few of the major conditions with prominent sociodemo-graphic disparities. 2 Poverty is a risk factor for premature mortality and increased morbidity. Across all races and ethnicities, greater life expectancy is associated with higher income. 3 In the United States, non-Hispanic blacks are 50% more likely to die from cardiovascu-lar disease than non-Hispanic whites. 4 Health-related quality of life in blacks with chronic medical conditions is associated with greater and longer impairment in activities of daily living than whites. 5 Morbidity and mortality from heart disease and diabetes is greatest in individuals with lower education. 6 Health literacy— the ability to comprehend information needed to make informed appropriate decisions about one's health 7 —is a strong predictor of health. 8 Persons with low or limited health literacy utilize more treatment services than prevention services. Employed individuals have lower levels of asthma, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, persistent anxiety, sadness, and depression. 5 Geographic disparities in health are common. Obesity and diabetes in …