FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The presenters for this year’s Arkansas Health Disparities Conference on Friday, April 3 at the Holiday Inn in Springdale offer an array of compelling insights into the serious issues associated with health disparities in the state and beyond. With the theme of promoting health equity, the conference focuses on health disparities in children, the elderly, women and minorities.

According to the federal Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education Act, a health disparity population exists “if there is a significant disparity in the overall rate of disease incidence, prevalence, morbidity, mortality or survival rates in the population as compared to the health status of the general population.”

An Arkansas official with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will give the keynote address. James Kaput, Ph.D., directs the Division of Personalized Nutrition and Medicine at the National Center for Toxicological Research in Jefferson (between Little Rock and Pine Bluff). He will review information from studies documenting that certain minority populations exhibit higher incidence and severity of many chronic diseases including diabetes, obesity, asthma, cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer.

He will cite recent biomedical research showing that individual genetic variation may exacerbate genetic risk factors for disease, and a subset of these variations is likely to influence response to diet. Health practitioners will be able to use this evidence-based data to form recommendations and take actions to reduce health disparities through nutritional and lifestyle modifications, according to Kaput.

“We are honored to have a scientist of Dr. Kaput’s stature as our keynote speaker,” said Judith Tavano, the conference manager. “We are delighted that he will provide this information for people interested in reducing health disparities among underserved and vulnerable populations in Arkansas. He joins nine other presenters with valuable information to share.”

Tavano is director of professional development for the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas. The college is sponsoring the daylong conference with Arkansas Migrant Education.

• “Paseo de Salud: A Model Program for Diabetes Prevention in the Hispanic Population,” Su An Arnn Phipps, assistant professor, University of Oklahoma College of Nursing, Tulsa

• “Women and Cardiovascular Disease,” Heidi Kluess, assistant professor, College of Education and Health Professions, University of Arkansas

• “Rural Arkansas Elder Health Issues,” Priscilla Pittman, program director, Alzheimer’s Arkansas Programs and Services, Little Rock

• “The Long and Winding Road to Latinos’ Tobacco Prevention and Cessation,” R. Lilia Lopez-Becerra,program director and associate professor, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

• “Traumatic Brain Injury: Impact and Implications,” Loretta Alexander, Arkansas Department of Health, Little Rock

• “Healthcare Outcomes of Tobacco Related Illness in the Latino Community in Northwest Arkansas,” Susana O’Daniel, Northwest Arkansas Tobacco Free Coalition, Springdale

• “An Examination of Disparities Among Public and Private Services for the Visually Impaired,” Jane M. Klein, disabilities consultant, See the Light, Fayetteville

• “Living Legacies: Learning and Choosing Healthy Life Styles to Reduce Health Disparities,” Felicia Taylor and Letha Mosley, assistant professors, University of Central Arkansas, Conway

Students studying health disparities and working on tobacco intervention programs will assist presenters and present posters.

Health practitioners, health educators, students, researchers, social workers, policymakers and interested community members are encouraged to attend. Cost and registration information are available online at https://new-www3.uark.edu/coehp/qpay/?event_id=ahdc.