Health Disparities
The State of Georgia is challenged by documented health disparities based on geography,
socioeconomic status, ethnicity and other factors.
These health challenges are being addressed at multiple levels through state, private
and local organizations to reduce the consequences of the burden of disease on the
overall welfare of the State and its citizens. The Department of Family and Community
Medicine's mission embraces a need to address disparities in its educational, research
and service activities.
To that end, the department has established a Health Disparities Unit (HDU) to concentrate
its efforts of education, discovery and service to effectively address health disparities
of targeted communities using identified organizational resources. To those ends the
department provides education in and service to multiple venues where individuals
challenged by health disparities receive care. These include its long standing relationships
with the Tri-County Health Systems, Inc. a four county network of community health
centers serving some of the most economically challenged counties in Georgia, CSRA
free clinics serving local vulnerable patient populations and the commitment of its
faculty and resident practice to address similar services provided through its resident
and faculty practices. Health disparities is a cornerstone activity of HamesNet which engages clinical partners in academic and practice settings throughout the state
and region.
The departments commitment to address geographical health disparities was the basis
for its development of a rural 1+2 residency program in collaboration with the Mayo
Clinic Health System which is located approximately 200 miles South of Augusta University.
The collection of these multiple venues of service and education provides ample opportunities
to study environments and circumstances associated with health disparities and to
develop effective strategies to address those inequities. Departmental support for
faculty, residents and students to pilot research on health disparities in regional
populations is provided through resources of the department's Hames Endowment .