FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — As the minority populations of Arkansas grow, the need to address the varying health-care requirements of these populations increases as well. The Hispanic, Marshallese and African American communities throughout the state face unique issues affecting their health on a daily basis.

The Professional Development Academy in the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas and Arkansas Migrant Education present the 2008 Arkansas Minority Health Conference on April 11 at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Springdale. The purpose of the conference is to identify minority health disparities, present best practice solutions and encourage research and action among health-care practitioners and policymakers.

Dr. Georgia M. Dunston, chair of the department of microbiology at Howard University in Washington, will deliver the keynote address titled “Beyond the Human Genome Sequence in Health Disparities Research.” Dunston is founding director of the National Human Genome Center at Howard, and she directs the center’s molecular genetics unit.

Breakout and poster sessions include:

• “Homelessness and Mental Illness in South Fayetteville,” Dr. Mary Ramey, Fayetteville

• “Diabetes Epidemic in African Americans,” Rachel L. Luckett, Arkansas Department of Health

• “Estimating the Supply and Demand for Bilingual Nurses in Northwest Arkansas,” Dr. Kathleen Barta, Northwest Arkansas Nursing Education Consortium

• “Programming Created to Respond to Health Disparities in Arkansas Communities,” Dr. Felicia Taylor, University of Central Arkansas Health Education Faith-based Initiative

• “Evaluation of Voluntary Accreditation Programs for Local Public Agencies in Missouri,” Beverly Tremain, Ph.D., Public Health Consulting, LLC

• “Funding for Tobacco Prevention in Minority Communities,” Diony Monestime, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

• “A New Concept to Promote a Better Understanding of Alzheimer’s,” Susan Nam-Huyen Ang and Vicki Hodges, Butterfield Trail Village

• “Focusing on Diabetes in the Black Community,” Dorcas Nichole Kennebrew, Miss Black Arkansas

• Community-based research from the NorthWest Arkansas Nurses Association

• Research from the Fay Boozman School of Public Health and the Area Health Education Center Northwest, both of which are part of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.

“We are delighted to have attracted so many powerful presentations,” said Judith Tavano, conference manager and director of the Professional Development Academy. “As we began talking to potential presenters about this conference, it became clear to us that, although more research needs to be done in the area of health disparities, the practicing community is keenly interested and deeply invested in the topic. This same enthusiasm has been evidenced in the donor community whose generosity has enabled us to keep the registration fee at a reasonable rate for practicing health-care professionals and students.”

Sponsors include Area Health Education Center Northwest, Alzheimer’s Association, Arkansas Minority Health Commission, Arvest Bank, Butterfield Trail Village, Eleanor Mann School of Nursing, J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Microflex, Northwest Health Systems, Northwest Arkansas Adult Education, NorthWest Arkansas Community College Foundation and University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, College of Health Sciences.

To register, visit coehp.uark.edu and click on the Professional Development Academy link. The cost increases after March 28. Contact Tavano for information about sponsorship and exhibits.

The Professional Development Academy supports in-service teachers, school administrators, health-care professionals and work force trainers throughout the state of Arkansas.