Title
To recognize the efforts of Dr. William J. Hicks and The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute in their development of the Diversity Enhancement Program aimed at increasing general cancer awareness among African-Americans and other underserved minorities.
Body
WHEREAS, Compared with the U.S. population as a whole, African Americans and other underserved minorities have higher incidence and mortality rates for many common cancers because of barriers to healthy lifestyles, early detection services and quality of medical care; and
WHEREAS, The National Academy of Science's (NAS) Institute of Medicine concluded that racial and ethnic minorities tend to receive lower-quality health care than non-minorities, even when access-related factors such as health insurance and economic status are controlled due to patient stereotyping, misallocation of resources, culturally related communication barriers, provider biases and uncertainty regarding appropriate treatment; and
WHEREAS, In response to these inequities and to the need for greater minority participation in clinical trials and other research activities, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute embarked on developing the Diversity Enhancement Program in January 2002 designed to increase minority participation in clinical research in order to improve the quality of cancer care and possibly improving cancer outcomes, as well as increase general cancer awareness in the community; and
WHEREAS, The overall goal of The James Cancer Hospital's Diversity Enhancement Program is to decrease the disparity of cancer incidence and mortality experienced by the minority community, which coincides with the goals of the NIH Healthy People 2010 initiative and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services initiative to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities.; and
WHEREAS, Through the Diversity Enhancement Program, "It's All About Health," a radio show on JOY 106.3 FM hosted by William J. Hicks, MD, can be heard the first and third Saturday of each month from 9-10 am, and was created to help African-Americans and other minority and underserved communities take control of their lives and understand that everyday decisions, such as eating right and obtaining regular cancer screening tests, can make a big impact on long-term health and well-being; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS: That we recognize Dr. William J. Hicks, MD, a medical oncologist and Co-Director of the Diversity Enhancement Program at Ohio State's James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, and support his goal of ending the unequal burden of cancer in minority populations.